Its all courses for horses .. no different to Dear or Hussy or Sweetie or Sweetheart or Sugar etc. etc. Some have no problem with the names and some do. I see most of them as a term of endearment and thats nice. (Well ok perhaps not Hussy).
It makes my skin crawl when the term "Babe" or "Baby" is used prematurely. It sounds cheap and assumes too much. However in the southern region of the US, it is not unusual for the term to be used socially. The girl at McDonalds can call you baby or honey without thinking. That irritates me too. It sounds condescending even though I know that is not the intention. My husband calls me baby at times and it is comforting to me. He knows that when I say baby it generally means I want something. He's not the type to say babe--thank Gawd.
I have never been called that from my husband. Have been called that in cyber play.
It really has no affect on me either way.
xo
Not particularly fond of being called baby or calling my wife baby, but if it happens, neither of us is militant about it. I have my pet name for her, which is an endearing derivative of her real name. What gets under my skin is being called Hun. I hate that, especially from someone I don't know.
The term 'bab' is a standard term when greeting people where I grew up, so I admit that I do call people 'bab' and I have called several female friends 'bab' or 'babe', but that is not in any sexual or ownership connotation.
It could be worse, I could call them 'hun'...
I use 'baby' as a term of endearment for someone I care for and I like being called it too, I would use 'babe/babes' very occasionally and mainly for my girlfriends, I'm happy for them to call me that but don't like it from someone I care for really.
Happiness will never come to those who don’t appreciate what they already have
I only use "Baby" only for my special someone.
When with close friends I use: Hun, babe, sweetie, love or lovely are my terms of endearment.....
as for me I like being called Baby, cutie, sweetie, hun and etc... only by my close friends and of course a my special someone
I like the word 'baby' used as affectionate nickname but not in a patronising tone
As long as you care, really care about me you can call me anything I don't mind.