What Does Bae Mean? Where the Word Came From and How It Spread
What does bae mean? Bae (it rhymes with "day") is a slang word for a sweetheart, boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse. You might hear "I'm going out with bae tonight" or see a photo captioned "me and bae." Dictionaries trace it to a shortened form of "babe" or "baby," with roots in African American English. You've probably also heard that bae stands for "before anyone else." That's a fun story, but the dictionary evidence says it's a myth: the acronym was made up after the word was already popular.
In this guide, we'll look at what bae means as a noun and as an adjective, where it came from, how it spread from casual speech to campus slang and social media, why the "before anyone else" story took off, and what bae means in a couple of other languages (one of which is not romantic at all). We'll also cover how and when to use it, and some alternatives if bae isn't quite your style.
What does bae mean? The short answer
Here's the quick version, based on what dictionaries actually say.
- Main meaning: Dictionary.com defines bae as "an affectionate term used to address or refer to one's girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, etc."
- Origin: Dictionary.com calls it "an Americanism first recorded in 2000–05," probably a shortening of "babe" or "baby."
- Roots: Green's Dictionary of Slang describes bae as a form of "babe" in African American English and labels the "before anyone else" explanation as folk etymology.
- Extra meaning: Bae can also be an adjective meaning "greatly loved" or "very cool," as in "this pizza is bae."
So bae is basically "babe" with the final "b" dropped, used to mean "my sweetheart." The rest of this article explains the details.
Bae as a noun and as an adjective
Most people know bae as a noun, a name for your partner. But it picked up a second job as an adjective, describing anything you really like. Here's how the two uses compare, with example sentences written to show each sense.
| Use | Meaning | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noun, talking about someone | Your boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse | "Bae and I are cooking dinner tonight." | The original and most common use |
| Noun, talking to someone | A pet name you call your partner | "Morning, bae. Coffee's ready." | Works like "babe" or "honey" |
| Noun, a crush or favorite person | Someone you're fond of or admire | "That actor is my bae." | Playful; often about someone you don't actually know |
| Adjective | Greatly loved; very cool or great | "This ice cream is bae." | Usually about things, food or experiences |
Dictionary.com lists both adjective senses: "greatly admired or loved" and "very cool; great." Green's Dictionary of Slang records the adjective use in student slang collected at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014, with the example "This ice cream sundae with sprinkles is bae," glossed as "anything that makes one happy."
How to pronounce bae
Bae is one syllable and rhymes with "day," "say" and "play." It's not pronounced "bay-ee" or "bah." If you can say "babe" and then leave off the last "b," you've got it.
Where the word bae came from
The most widely accepted explanation is simple: bae is a shortened form of "babe." Linguists call this kind of shortening a clipping, where part of a word is cut off but the meaning stays the same. English is full of clippings: "phone" from "telephone," "fridge" from "refrigerator," "fan" from "fanatic." Bae is a clipping of "babe."
The dictionary evidence
Here's what two respected dictionaries say about the origin.
- Dictionary.com says bae is "probably a shortening of babe or baby" and dates its first record to 2000 to 2005.
- Green's Dictionary of Slang, compiled by the lexicographer Jonathon Green, gives the etymology as a form of "babe" in African American English, and explicitly calls the popular "before anyone else" explanation folk etymology.
A lexicographer, by the way, is a person who writes dictionaries. Their job is to track down real examples of words in use, with dates, and to explain where words came from based on evidence rather than guesses.
Babe itself is very old
Bae is new, but the word it comes from has a long history. According to Dictionary.com's entry for babe, "babe" was first recorded between 1150 and 1200, from early Middle English baban, "probably nursery word in origin." That means it likely started as the kind of sound babies and parents make. The affectionate slang sense, calling a grown-up "babe," is dated much later, to 1915 to 1920.
So the family tree runs like this: a nursery word for an infant became "babe," "babe" became a term of endearment for a sweetheart, and "babe" was clipped to "bae." If you'd like the full story of the middle step, our article on what "babe" means covers it in detail.
Roots in African American English
African American English, sometimes called African American Vernacular English or AAVE, is a variety of English with its own consistent grammar, sounds and vocabulary, spoken by many Black Americans. It has given mainstream American English a long list of everyday words. Green's Dictionary of Slang places bae in this tradition.
Words that get said over and over in casual conversation often get shorter, the way "going to" becomes "gonna." That helps explain how "babe" could naturally become "bae" in everyday talk before anyone wrote it down.
It's worth knowing this history, because the word's roots are sometimes left out when it's described as generic "internet slang." Bae was spoken in communities long before it showed up in memes.
The "before anyone else" story: a backronym
If you've searched for what bae means, you've almost certainly seen the claim that it stands for "before anyone else." It's a sweet idea: your bae is the person who comes before anyone else in your life. Unfortunately, the evidence doesn't support it.
What a backronym is
An acronym is a word formed from the first letters of a phrase, like NASA or scuba. A backronym works in reverse: someone takes an existing word and invents a phrase to fit its letters afterward. Backronyms are often clever and memorable, which is exactly why they spread. But they don't tell you where the word really came from.
Why "before anyone else" is a backronym
Here's the evidence, step by step.
- The order of events. "Babe" has been an endearment for over a century, and "bae" as a clipped form makes sense on its own. There's no need for an acronym to explain it.
- The dictionary verdict. Green's Dictionary of Slang lists the "before anyone else" explanation as folk etymology. Folk etymology means a popular but mistaken belief about where a word comes from.
- The standard dictionaries. Dictionary.com gives the origin as a shortening of "babe" or "baby" and doesn't list "before anyone else" as the source.
- The meaning fits the clipping. Bae means exactly what "babe" means as an endearment, and it's used in exactly the same places in a sentence. A word that behaves just like "babe" is most simply explained as "babe."
Where the acronym shows up
The phrase did circulate among speakers. Green's records a 2014 entry in UNC-CH Campus Slang, a collection of student slang edited by Connie Eble at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which glossed bae as "before anyone else" or as a shortening of other affectionate phrases. That's useful evidence: it shows that by 2014, some students were explaining the word with the acronym. But a slang collection records what people say, including what they believe about words. It doesn't prove the acronym came first.
Think of it this way: the backronym is part of bae's story. It's just not its origin.
Why the backronym is so appealing
It's easy to see why "before anyone else" caught on. It turns a casual slang word into a small love note. It's easy to remember, it fits on a social media graphic, and it gives a new word a sense of deeper meaning. People like explanations that feel tidy and romantic, and "it's babe without the b" doesn't sound nearly as sweet.
There's also a simple social reason. When a new word spreads quickly, people who hear it for the first time want to know what it means and where it came from. An explanation that sounds clever spreads as fast as the word itself, and soon it's repeated so often that it feels like a fact.
You don't have to give up the sweet meaning, though. Plenty of couples enjoy saying "you're my before anyone else" as a personal twist on the word. That's a lovely thing to do, as long as you know it's a meaning people added to bae, not where bae came from. Language belongs to the people who speak it, and adding new layers of meaning is part of how words live.
How to check a word origin yourself
When you see a catchy origin story online, try these quick checks:
- Look the word up in at least two dictionaries and read the etymology section.
- Watch for words like "folk etymology," "probably" and "of uncertain origin." They tell you how sure the editors are.
- Be wary of any origin that's an acronym, especially for an old or casual word. Real acronyms usually have a clear, documented starting point.
How bae spread: from conversation to campus to the internet
Slang words tend to move in stages: from a community's everyday talk, into music and pop culture, onto social media, then into mainstream use, and finally into dictionaries. Bae followed that path.
Memes and social media
Green's Dictionary of Slang notes that the word was popularized by the "bae caught me slippin'" meme, in which people posted photos of someone sleeping, supposedly taken by their partner. Memes like this spread a word fast, because people copy the format and the word along with it.
Campus slang
The UNC-CH student slang collections cited by Green's show bae in 2014 as a noun for a partner and as an adjective for "anything that makes one happy." By 2016, the same collection recorded the adjective describing a person who inspires devotion: "Chris is so cute. He's bae."
The American Dialect Society vote
The American Dialect Society is a scholarly organization founded to study English in North America, and each year its members vote on a Word of the Year. In its 2014 Word of the Year announcement, dated January 9, 2015, "bae" appeared as a nominee for Word of the Year, defined as "a sweetheart or romantic partner." It received 3 votes; the winner was "#blacklivesmatter."
Bae did win something, in a roundabout way. In the "Most Unnecessary" category, the winner was "baeless," defined as "without a romantic partner (lacking a bae)," with 96 of 133 votes. When a word starts spawning new words, that's a sure sign it has gone mainstream.
Beyond the United States
Green's records bae in song lyrics from the UK by 2022. That shows the word traveling well beyond its American starting point, as so much American slang does through music and the internet.
Bae and the other ways English shortens pet names
Bae isn't unusual. English speakers have always reshaped their words of affection to make them shorter, softer or more playful. Seeing bae next to its relatives makes it feel less like a strange new invention and more like part of a long habit.
Here are the main ways pet names get reshaped, with familiar examples.
| Process | What happens | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Clipping | Part of the word is cut off | babe to bae; honey to hon |
| Adding a cute ending | A small ending like -ie or -y makes a word sound smaller and sweeter | sweet to sweetie; love to lovey |
| Doubling | A sound or word is repeated | boo to boo-boo; honey to honey-bunny |
| Blending | Two words or names are merged | couple "ship names" made from two first names |
| Spelling play | The spelling changes to look casual | love written as "luv" |
Each of these makes a name feel more intimate. Shorter names are quicker to say and type. Cute endings make a name sound gentle. Doubling sounds playful. And blends, like the ones you can make in our guide to ship name ideas, turn two people into one new word.
Seen this way, bae is just one more example of something speakers have always done: taking a word they use a lot with someone they love, and wearing it down into something that feels like theirs.
A timeline of bae
Here's how the word's history lines up, using dated evidence from the sources cited above.
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1150 to 1200 | "Babe" first recorded in Middle English, probably from a nursery word | Dictionary.com |
| 1915 to 1920 | "Babe" recorded in its slang senses, including an affectionate term of address | Dictionary.com |
| 2000 to 2005 | "Bae" first recorded as an Americanism | Dictionary.com |
| 2014 | Bae recorded in UNC-CH student slang as a noun and an adjective | Green's Dictionary of Slang |
| January 9, 2015 | American Dialect Society names its 2014 words; bae is a nominee, and "baeless" wins Most Unnecessary | American Dialect Society |
| 2016 | Adjective sense recorded describing a person who inspires devotion | Green's Dictionary of Slang |
| 2022 | Bae recorded in UK song lyrics | Green's Dictionary of Slang |
How a slang word like bae gets into the dictionary
People sometimes say a word "isn't real" until it's in the dictionary. That gets things backward. Dictionaries don't create words; they record them once there's enough evidence that people are really using them. Bae is a good case study in how that works.
Step 1: Collecting citations
A citation, in dictionary work, is a dated example of a word used in the wild: a line from a book, a newspaper, a song, a website or a recorded conversation. Look at Green's entry for bae and you'll see exactly that: a list of examples, each with a year and a source, from student slang collections in 2014 to UK song lyrics in 2022. The dates matter, because they show when and where the word was in use.
Step 2: Watching for staying power
Lots of slang appears and vanishes within a year or two. Editors usually wait to see whether a word keeps showing up across different kinds of writing and different groups of people. A word that appears only in one meme might not qualify. A word that shows up in student slang, music, social media and news stories over several years has a much stronger case.
Step 3: Writing the definition and the history
Once a word is in, editors write a definition based on how it's actually used, then add an etymology, the word's origin, based on the evidence. That's why a dictionary will say "probably a shortening of babe or baby" instead of repeating a catchy acronym story. The word "probably" is a sign of careful, honest work: it means the evidence points that way, even if no one recorded the exact moment the word was born.
Why dictionaries disagree
Different dictionaries have different audiences and rules. A general dictionary may include bae as everyday vocabulary. A slang dictionary like Green's goes deeper into the history and examples. And some dictionaries, like the American Heritage Dictionary's online edition, may not include the romantic sense at all yet. None of that makes the word more or less "real." It just shows editors making different calls.
How people actually use bae in a sentence
Bae has some grammar habits that set it apart from older pet names. If you're learning English, or just curious, here's a closer look. The example sentences are made up to illustrate each pattern.
Bae like a name
People often use bae without "my" or "the," the way you'd use someone's first name: "Bae says hi." "I'm meeting bae after work." This is one of the clearest signs that bae works as a personal nickname rather than a general noun.
"My bae"
You'll also see "my bae," which works more like "my boyfriend" or "my girlfriend": "This is my bae, Jordan." This version is common when introducing someone or talking about a crush, like "Pancakes are my bae."
Bae as a direct address
When you're talking straight to your partner, bae usually goes at the start or end of the sentence, set off by a comma: "Bae, where are my keys?" or "Love you, bae."
Bae as an adjective
As an adjective, bae usually follows "is": "This sweater is bae." It's rarely placed before a noun. You'd hear "This song is bae," but not usually "a bae song."
Plural and other forms
"Baes" shows up now and then, usually jokingly, as in "my two baes, coffee and sleep." And as the American Dialect Society vote showed, people built new words from it, such as "baeless," meaning without a partner. When a word can be stretched and played with like this, it's a sign that speakers feel comfortable with it.
Bae vs. babe vs. baby vs. boo
Bae belongs to a family of short, sweet names for a partner. They overlap a lot, but each has its own feel. Here's how they compare.
| Word | Origin | Tone | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babe | Middle English nursery word; affectionate slang sense from the early 1900s | Warm, everyday, works at any age | Talking to your partner directly |
| Baby | From "babe" | Tender, sometimes a little sugary | Private, affectionate moments |
| Bae | Clipping of "babe," from African American English | Casual, playful, a bit trendy | Texting, captions, talking about your partner |
| Boo | African American English, possibly from "beau" | Sweet, relaxed | Texts and casual talk |
Boo has an interesting history of its own. The American Heritage Dictionary defines this sense of boo as "a boyfriend or girlfriend" or a spouse, used as a term of endearment, and traces it to African American Vernacular English, "possibly from alteration of beau." "Beau," a French-derived word for a boyfriend, has been around in English for a long time, so boo may have a surprisingly old-fashioned ancestor.
Not every dictionary includes bae
Here's a detail that shows how dictionaries handle new slang. At the time of writing, the American Heritage Dictionary's online entry for "bae" lists only abbreviations, such as Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering, not the romantic slang. Different dictionaries make different choices about when a slang word is established enough to include. That's why it helps to check more than one source.
What bae means in other languages
Words don't stay in one language, and the same spelling can mean very different things elsewhere. Two examples are worth knowing, especially if you text friends abroad.
Scots: bae
In Scots, the language traditionally spoken in Lowland Scotland, "bae" is an old word with a farmyard meaning. The Scottish National Dictionary, part of the Dictionaries of the Scots Language, defines bae as the Scots form of English "baa": as a verb, "to bleat like a sheep," and as a noun, "a sheep's bleat; a calf's cry." Its quotations date from 1769 to 1824, including a Galloway example from 1824 describing "the bleat of a fat sheep."
So if you ever hear a Scottish shepherd mention bae, they're probably talking about a sheep, not a sweetheart.
Common bae mix-ups
Because bae is so short, it's easy to confuse with other words and abbreviations. Here are the mix-ups people run into most.
- Bae vs. BAE. In capital letters, BAE is an abbreviation with several unrelated meanings. Dictionary.com lists Bureau of Agricultural Economics and Bureau of American Ethnology, and B.A.E. can stand for degrees like Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering. If you see BAE in a news story about government or engineering, it almost certainly isn't romantic.
- Bae vs. bay. They sound the same. A bay is a body of water, a type of window, or a reddish-brown horse. In speech, context makes the meaning clear.
- Bae vs. babe. These mean the same thing as pet names. Bae is simply the shorter, more casual form.
- Bae as an acronym. As covered above, "before anyone else" is a backronym, not the origin.
- Bae as "baby" for an actual infant. Bae is almost never used for a real baby. It's a word for a partner, crush or favorite thing.
Explaining bae across generations
If you've ever had to explain bae to a parent or grandparent, or you're the parent trying to decode your teen's texts, it can help to connect it to words older generations already know.
Every generation has had its own short, casual words for a sweetheart. Our article on vintage terms of endearment collects many older ones, from the early 1900s onward. Bae is the same kind of word, just newer. A simple way to explain it: "It's like saying 'babe,' only shorter."
For younger people learning about older pet names, the reverse works too. "Sweetheart," "honey," and "darling" were the everyday words of their day, and many still are. Hearing how people have always shortened and played with these words makes the history feel more familiar.
It's also a good chance to talk about where words come from. Pointing out that bae has roots in African American English, and that many everyday words came into mainstream English the same way, is a respectful way to give credit to the speakers who started it.
How and when to use bae
Bae is friendly and casual, but like any pet name, it fits some situations better than others. Here's a practical guide.
Good times to use bae
- Texting your partner. "Running late, bae. Save me some pizza." It's short and easy to type. Our guide to texting nicknames has more short, sweet options.
- Talking about your partner with friends. "Bae and I are going hiking this weekend."
- Playful captions. Photos, anniversaries and inside jokes.
- Describing things you love. "This new coffee place is bae."
Times to skip it
- With strangers or coworkers. Dictionary.com includes a sensitivity note: like "babe" and "baby," bae "may sometimes be disparaging or offensive" when used for someone considered attractive or when said to a stranger or casual acquaintance. Keep it for people you're close to.
- Formal occasions. A wedding toast or a formal card usually calls for something warmer and more traditional, like "my love" or your partner's name.
- If your partner doesn't like it. Some people find bae too trendy or too cute. That's fine. Our article on what to do when your partner hates a nickname has kind ways to talk about it.
Is bae outdated?
Slang has a life cycle. A word starts in a community, goes viral, becomes everywhere, and then often starts to sound a little dated, especially to younger speakers. Some people now feel bae sounds a bit dated and use it with a wink, knowing it's a little retro. Others use it sincerely, every day, and that's perfectly fine too.
The good news is that a pet name doesn't need to be trendy to work. What matters is whether it feels like yours. Many couples keep a name for years precisely because it reminds them of when they started using it.
Try it yourself: is bae the right pet name for you?
If you're deciding whether to start calling your partner bae, or looking for something similar but different, try this quick self-check.
- Say it out loud in a sentence you'd actually use. "Hey bae, want to get tacos?" Does it feel natural or forced?
- Imagine your partner saying it back. If it makes you smile, that's a good sign.
- Think about where you'll use it. If it's mostly for texting, bae is great. For whispered, tender moments, you might prefer something softer.
- Ask them. The easiest way to know if a pet name works is to ask. Our guide to when to start using pet names covers timing.
Five ways to use bae in a text
If you've decided bae fits, here are a few sample texts to get you started. They're illustrative, so tweak them to sound like you.
- "Morning, bae. Don't forget your umbrella, it's pouring."
- "Bae, I found the tacos place you wanted to try. Friday?"
- "Just saw a dog that looks exactly like you when you're sleepy. Miss you, bae."
- "This new playlist is bae. Sending it now."
- "Proud of you today, bae. Big day, and you crushed it."
Notice that bae works best in short, light, everyday messages. For a heartfelt note, like an anniversary card, you might switch to something warmer, such as "my love," or use your partner's name.
Alternatives to bae
If bae isn't quite right, here are a few names in the same short, casual family, plus a couple of warmer options:
- Babe: the classic original.
- Boo: sweet and relaxed.
- Love: simple and warm, popular in Britain.
- Hun: short for "honey."
- Sunshine: cheerful and affectionate.
- Your partner's initial or a shortened name: often the most personal choice of all.
For bigger lists, browse our cute nicknames for your boyfriend and cute nicknames for your girlfriend. And if you're curious why couples invent pet names at all, our article on the psychology of pet names explains what researchers have found. A separate article on why we call people "honey" is also on the way.
Wrap-up: bae means babe, with a story behind it
So, what does bae mean? It's a casual, affectionate word for your sweetheart, and sometimes an adjective for anything you love. The best evidence says it's a clipping of "babe," with roots in African American English, first recorded in the early 2000s and popularized through memes, campus slang and social media. The "before anyone else" explanation is a backronym: a sweet idea added after the fact. And in Scots, the same sound means something entirely different.
If you're looking for a pet name that feels more personal than bae, try our free nickname generator. Pick who it's for, such as a boyfriend, girlfriend or partner, and a vibe like cute and sweet, funny or unique, and each suggestion comes with a note on why it works. You can save your favorites to a shortlist, and the Couple Name Mixer blends your two names into one.
When to Use Bae and When to Skip It
This table sorts the situations from the article into good times and times to hold back, with the reason for each.
| Situation | Use bae? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Texting your partner | Yes | It's short and easy to type |
| Talking about your partner with friends | Yes | "Bae and I are going hiking this weekend" |
| Playful captions | Yes | Works for photos, anniversaries and inside jokes |
| Describing things you love | Yes | "This new coffee place is bae" |
| Strangers or coworkers | Skip it | Dictionary.com notes that bae may sometimes be disparaging or offensive when said to a stranger or casual acquaintance |
| Formal occasions | Skip it | A wedding toast or formal card usually calls for something warmer and more traditional, like "my love" or your partner's name |
| A partner who doesn't like it | Skip it | Some people find bae too trendy or too cute, and that's fine |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does bae mean in texting?
In a text, bae means your sweetheart: a boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse or partner. It's used both to talk to them, as in Good morning, bae, and to talk about them, as in Bae is making dinner. It can also be an adjective for anything you really like, such as This song is bae. Dictionary.com defines it as an affectionate term for a girlfriend, boyfriend or spouse, and it's usually casual and playful in tone.
Does bae really stand for before anyone else?
No. That's a backronym, a phrase invented to fit the letters of a word that already existed. Green's Dictionary of Slang calls the before anyone else explanation folk etymology and traces bae to a form of babe in African American English. Dictionary.com likewise says bae is probably a shortening of babe or baby. Some people did explain the word with the acronym by 2014, but that explanation came after the word itself.
Where did the word bae come from?
Bae is a clipping, or shortened form, of babe, with roots in African American English. Dictionary.com says it was first recorded as an Americanism between 2000 and 2005. The word babe itself is very old, first recorded between 1150 and 1200, and its affectionate slang sense dates to around 1915 to 1920. Bae spread widely in the 2010s through memes, campus slang, music and social media.
How do you pronounce bae?
Bae is a single syllable that rhymes with day, say and play. It isn't pronounced bay-ee or bah. A simple way to get it right is to say babe and leave off the final b sound. Because it's so short, it's easy to say quickly in casual conversation, which is part of why it caught on. In writing, it's usually lowercase, like any other ordinary word.
Is it OK to call someone bae if you're not dating?
It depends on the relationship and the tone. Among close friends, bae is often used playfully, and calling a celebrity my bae is a common joke. But with coworkers, strangers or casual acquaintances, it can come across as too familiar. Dictionary.com notes that, like babe and baby, bae may sometimes be offensive when used to address a stranger or casual acquaintance. When in doubt, save it for people you're close to.
What's the difference between bae and boo?
Both are short, casual words for a boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse, and both come from African American English. Bae is a clipping of babe. Boo, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is possibly an alteration of beau, an older word for a boyfriend. In practice, they're used in very similar ways. Some people feel boo sounds a little softer and sweeter, while bae sounds a little more playful.
What does it mean when someone says something is bae?
When bae describes a thing rather than a person, it's an adjective meaning greatly loved, very cool or great. Saying This pizza is bae or That song is bae means you really love it. Dictionary.com lists both senses, greatly admired or loved and very cool or great. Green's Dictionary of Slang records this use in University of North Carolina student slang from 2014, defined as anything that makes one happy. It's playful and casual.
Is bae an offensive word?
Usually not. Between partners or close friends, bae is affectionate and friendly. But context matters. Dictionary.com notes that, like babe and baby, bae can sometimes be disparaging or offensive when used to address a stranger or casual acquaintance, or to comment on someone's looks. A good rule is to use it only with people who know you well and who are comfortable with pet names, and to stop if someone asks you not to use it.
Is bae still used today?
Yes, though how it feels depends on who you ask. Some people use it sincerely and often, especially in texts. Others feel it peaked as internet slang and now use it with a wink. That's a normal life cycle for slang. The American Dialect Society even voted baeless, meaning without a romantic partner, its Most Unnecessary word of 2014. If you and your partner like it, it's still a perfectly good pet name.
Sources
We checked every source below while writing this guide. Last reviewed October 30, 2026, by Joan Ramos.
- bae (Dictionary.com)
- babe (Dictionary.com)
- bae n. (Green's Dictionary of Slang)
- 2014 Word of the Year Is "#blacklivesmatter" (American Dialect Society)
- boo (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language)
- bae (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language)
- Bae v., n. (Scottish National Dictionary) (Dictionaries of the Scots Language)
