What Does It Mean When a Guy Calls You Shawty? (15 Meanings)

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It’s no secret that the term “shawty” translates to “attractive woman.”

But, what else does it mean when a guy calls you shorty?

Read on below and find out!

What Does It Mean When a Guy Calls You Shawty?

When a guy calls you shawty, he’s obviously flirting with you (or calling you attractive at the very least).

However, a lot of the time, there’s much more meaning to him calling you shawty than you might find at first glance.

Here are 15 of the most common meanings for what he means when he calls you shawty:

1. He Thinks You’re Really Cute

happy couple having fun in sandy beachWhen a guy thinks you’re really cute, shawty is likely to be one of his first nicknames for you, especially if you’re a short girl.

That’s why you may hear the term shawty so often at school, at work, or while just hanging out.

2. He Wants To Get To Know You

When a wants to get to know you, he’ll lay the sugar on any way he knows how; including calling you pet names like shawty, love, and sweetheart.

He’s hoping that you’ll take notice of his interest in you and it will lead to you wanting to get to know him as well.

3. He’s Flirting With You

flirting couple staring at each otherSometimes guys are just flirting with you when they call you shawty. They may be interested in the moment, or in sex, but little to nothing more.

You can typically pick these guys out from those who are genuinely interested in you by their body language and other signs. If all they do is talk, and gawk at you, they’re probably just flirting.

4. He Wants To See How You React

Some guys just want to see how you react, both physically and verbally, when they call you flirty names like shawty.

That’s why it’s important to think about how you react when guys hit on you… sometimes your reaction is the sole purpose of their compliment.

5. He’s Trying To Cheer You Up

laughing couple sitting in sofa holding glass of wineWhen a guy is trying to cheer you up, he may opt for a nickname like “shawty” or “mama.”



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This sort of compliment doesn’t need to come from a romantic place. In fact, it could be just a guy friend or even your dad who calls you shawty in this case.

6. He Calls All Females Shawty

Some guys call all females shawty. Whether they are simply putting as many lines in the water as possible, hitting on all girls, and trying to get lucky, or they are just flirty by nature depends on the guy.

Today, it’s not at all uncommon for guys to refer to women as “shawty”, in general. No attraction, elements of flirtiness, romance, or sexual interest are involved.

7. He Wants You To Be His Girlfriend

When a guy decides he wants you to be his girlfriend, depending on his nature, he may go about getting you to notice his intentions in various ways. One of which is calling you names like shawty.

young couple in laundromat flirtingYou can often tell the ones with these sorts of intentions, as they try to be in your life as much as possible, do things for you, give you gifts, and physically touch you as often as possible (even making it look like an accident to do so).

8. He’s Making Conversation

There are times when a guy may simply want to make conversation with you and believes that opening up with a lighthearted compliment (like shawty) is the best way to get you talking.

Whether or not the in-depth conversation he’s after ever happens or not is up to you.

9. He Wants To Make You Interested

young couple flirting in a cafeWhen a guy is dead-set on making you interested in him, there are virtually no limits to how far he may go.

Calling you shawty is only the very beginning of what’s to come if he really wants a relationship with you.

10. He Digs Your Personality

Guys don’t just call girls shawty that they find physically attractive, they are also liable to call you shawty if they like your personality.

Shawty has come a long way in the past couple of decades, as far as its meaning as a term of endearment.

11. He’s Not Too Great With Nicknames

Not all guys have an equal amount of experience with women or the same size vocabulary of nicknames for that matter.

young couple sushi bar staring at partnerThat’s why, sometimes, when a dude calls you shawty, it’s easy to take things out of context. He may just want to say you’re cute but comes off as interested in a relationship.

12. He Wants You To Be His Baby Mama

There’s always a slight chance, that in the back of his mind when he calls you shawty, he’s actually fantasizing about having sex with you.

If he decides you’re worthy of being his baby mama, hide and watch as the nicknames start raining down on you whenever he’s around.

13. He Thinks You Like Being Called Shorty

males flirting cute females in busSome guys think girls like the term shawty better than sexy, beautiful, or overly obvious statements like gorgeous or stunning.

To him, shawty is much more low-key and is less likely to scare you off if you’re not interested in him on the same level that he’s interested in you.

14. He Wants To Make Your Boyfriend Jealous

There are also guys that simply want to make your boyfriend or husband jealous, so they call you names like shawty whenever he’s within earshot (or in text messages).

The first words out of his mouth (or text) are likely to be “hey shawty!” every time your boyfriend is around.

Make no mistake, it’s not that he’s using the slang term shawty itself purposefully in a derogatory way, he’s just trying to piss your boyfriend off (because he really likes you, and is totally jealous)

15. He’s Bored and Messing With You

couple having drinks feeling boredGuys are notorious for cat calls like “hey shawty” and such. Sometimes, when they’re just bored, and messing with you, that’s what you’re going to get!

Other times, guys are messing with you intentionally, trying to make you believe they have feelings for you, for whatever reasons (revenge, spite, or who knows what!).

How to Respond When a Guy Calls You Shawty

There are countless ways to respond when a boy calls you a slang term like shawty. That said, keep in mind that all you can be sure that he is really saying is that he finds you an attractive person (the rest you need to ask him to explain).

Here are a few of the best ways to reply:

1. Smile and Make Eye Contact

couple having fun in the park flirtingIf you find it cute that he calls you shawty, smile with him and make eye contact. Don’t look away when he meets your gaze, that way he knows you liked it.

2. Do Not Smile, and Shift Away From Him

In the case you don’t like it when he calls you shawty, avoid making eye contact or smiling with him after he compliments you. Also, try shifting your center away from him, as well as crossing your arms.

3. Flirt With Him Using Another Slang Word

couple having fun talking in stairsFlirting back with him, and using another slang word, like daddy, is a great way to let him know that you enjoy the attention and are into him as well.

4. Tell Him You Find The Term Derogatory

If you don’t like it, you don’t like it. If it makes you feel belittled, tell him you find the term derogatory and challenge him to find a better nickname for you.

FAQs

What Does It Mean When Someone Says Shawty?

happy couple talking and staring at each otherMost of the time, when someone uses the word “shawty” they are referring to the fact that they find another person to be an attractive girl. On some occasions, it is also used to refer to a short girl (usually the ones who are shorter than five feet tall).

What Does It Mean When a Guy Keeps Calling You Shorty?

When a guy is constantly calling you shorty, he’s professing his undying attraction to you. He may also be announcing his intentions to become more than simply friends with you. That’s right ladies, if he keeps calling you shawty, he’s likely after a relationship (or at least fantasizing about one!).

Can We Call a Guy Shawty?

Yes, ladies, you can call a guy shawty. All bets are off when it comes to the usage of the term “shawty.” Back in the day, it was mainly reserved for short girls that guys found attractive. Today, a growing number of women use “shawty” as a term of endearment or pet name for their significant others.