Female office workers: "Don't call us babe"

October 30, 2009 2:13 PM

It's no surprise that female office workers hate derogatory pet names given to them by some colleagues, but do you know the ones they most despise?

A survey of over 2,500 women found 'babe' was the name they hated being called most, followed by 'love,' 'hun' and 'mate.'

Other disliked pet names - which three quarters of the women polled said they found unacceptable - included; 'chick,' 'Kiddo,' 'Darlin' and 'Poppet' 

It also emerged that 93 per cent of women have been called a pet name either by the boss or a male colleague and that 21 percent said it made them feel angry.

But that is nothing… you should hear some of the names the same female office workers reserve for their male bosses.

A spokesman for onepoll.com, which carried out the study, said: ''Women clearly find these pet names patronising and unnecessary.  

"Perhaps it is time for guys to take a bit of a reality check and realise that time has moved on.  "Many of them are cringe-worthy and dated, for example it is hardly surprising that a woman is going to feel very uncomfortable when a boss in his 50s calls her 'babe' or 'poppet'." 

Top 10 hated pet names for female office workers