Throughout history, terms of endearment have always added a special touch to our conversations. Sweet nicknames bring warmth to our interactions, and in today’s era of social media, we often hear affectionate pet names being used in all kinds of situations.
Image credits: Jim Davis
Let’s talk about the rise of the term “Pookie” today. The word is all over social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and more. People use it either humorously or with a lot of affection. In this piece, we unpack the famous expression, find out where it came from, and how it has evolved into one of TikTok’s fave terms.
What Does “Pookie” Mean?
“Pookie” is a German term for little children. Richard Banker, who studies the etymology of the English language, explains the origins of “Pookie” in a 2023 feature for The History of English (1).
Banker says that while the term existed before the 1960s in German households with sprinklings in colloquial US conversations, it made its official debut during the late 1970s through the famous comic strip “Garfield.”
Gen X babies and baby boomers will remember that Garfield named his teddy bear “Pooky.” Because of the popularity of the Jim Davis comic (and later cartoon), the term caught on and grew familiar to generations.
The word became so mainstream that by the 2000s, users started lending their take on the meaning of “Pookie” on Urban Dictionary. The latest entry was posted by Sup3rN0v44 on July 3, 2023, and defines "Pookie" as a “nickname which you call your best friend or someone you really love (2).” Previous takes on the platform play along those lines as well.
How Did “Pookie” Go Viral and Why?
With a ubiquitous term like “Pookie,” it’s no surprise that it landed on social deeds, where spread and reach are exponential.
Unlike other jargon that becomes watered down or transformed in meaning with time, “Pookie” has largely kept its original meaning on TikTok and is still used as an endearment for anyone you admire or love. The online sentiment, however, now vacillates between genuine fondness or a playful satirical taunt.
On May 11, 2023, TikToker @hixko posted a meme using the term, garnering over 6.6 million views in three months.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@supersmellystinkyfart/video/7232126817002360107?_r=1&_t=8oc1GOVS3EK[/embed]
Image credits: @hixko
On June 21, 2023, user @youisbebe posted a cat meme on Instagram using the term “Pookie,” garnering over 3,973 likes.
Image credits: @youisbebe
It was soon followed by the post of Instagram user @daily_dose_of_meows on July 1, 2023. It also used a cat meme but was faster to spread, with more than 105,000 likes.
Image credits: @daily_dose_of_meows
After those posts, we saw even more creators dub their “Pookies” through memes and videos. The reach and spread of the term were highly dependent on the kind of content creators would churn out.
For instance, TikToker @a.a.c.c.i.i.d.d posted a video on July 21, 2023, using the term in a spliced anime clip. It has logged over 1.8 million views.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@a.a.c.c.i.i.d.d/video/7258321151774969130?_r=1&_t=8oc2R11JJRd[/embed]
Image credits: @a.a.c.c.i.i.d.d
TikTok @444Pray also spotlighted the term, especially with his post on October 14, 2023, in which he used it to taunt his viewers. His video has garnered 31.9 million views and logged 4 million likes.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@444pray/video/7289587829250837765?_r=1&_t=8oc66cq5InN[/embed]
Image credits: @444Pray
The latest social media buzz is undoubtedly around the posts by social media couple Mrs. Campbell Hunt Puckett and Mr. Jett Puckett on their Instagram. Campbell and Jett use the term “Pookie” regularly to refer to each other in their posts, whether talking about their dates, extravagant outfits, or lavish trips.
Image credits: campbellhuntpuckett
The couple also has a TikTok channel that mirrors their Instagram content. On one of their viral TikTok posts, dated January 15, 2024, we hear Jett fondly call Campbell “Pookie” in his signature Southern drawl as they run down the details of their outfit for the night out. The video has logged 16.2 million views and 516,300 likes.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@campbellhuntpuckett/video/7324116636552744234?_r=1&_t=8oc44h3pO21[/embed]
Image credits: campbellhuntpuckett
The couple has followed this up with yet another date night video surpassing the first one. The next viral “date ‘fit” video was uploaded on January 23, 2024, and has since gained 19.7 million views and 1.3 million likes.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@campbellhuntpuckett/video/7326972460799102238?_r=1&_t=8oc4U35VFUO[/embed]
Image credits: campbellhuntpuckett
Some TikTok users made fun of the Pucketts’ style by making parody “Pookie” videos, like this one by @jessicaleejessie, posted on January 31, 2024. The video has been viewed 35.1 million times and has 3.7 million likes.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@jessicaleejessie/video/7330250329839160607?_r=1&_t=8oc7jzEZ2Cy[/embed]
Image credits: jessicaleejessie
The adorable couple loves using the term on TikTok, and they’ve brought the same energy to their Instagram. Take a look at the viral video they shared on their Instagram on February 3, 2024. It has already received an impressive 12.3 million views and 119,000 likes.
Is “Pookie” Still Popular Today?
The context in which the Pucketts used the term “Pookie” is still pretty much how it’s used today — with affection, cheekiness, and playfulness. It has become the accepted slang of Gen Zs and Gen Alphas for someone you fancy — in a cute way.
Picking up from social media, women who call their partners “Pookie” are playfully naming someone “sweetie” or “honey.” So, if you’re still figuring out whether she likes you, then being called her “Pookie” is a good sign.
While the Pucketts were responsible for pushing “Pookie” to mainstream feeds, other creators used the term in their posts, too, whether to address their followers, make fun of it, or refer to their own special someone.
Some people rode on the “Pookie” craze with unique dubs and lipsyncs. For instance, on July 4, 2024, TikTok @kaydonnelly2 did a sync with her daughter, which gained 38.6 million views and 4.7 million likes.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@kaydonnelly2/video/7387802226833624353?_r=1&_t=8oc8DbIszfW[/embed]
Image credits: @kaydonnelly2
TikToker @looooooooch also dubs the same song that mentions the word “Pookie” on July 8, 2024. Her lipsync gained 47.2 million views and 3.8 million likes.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@looooooooch/video/7389217371728252168?_r=1&_t=8oc722fo894[/embed]
Image credits: @looooooooch
Whether you find the term cute or cringeworthy, there is no way of stopping it on TikTok, at least not at this moment.
References
- Richard Banker. “‘Pookie’– Its Meaning, Use And The Origins.” History of English, October 16, 2023. | https://www.thehistoryofenglish.com/pookie
- Sup3rN0v44. “Pookie.” Urban Dictionary, July 3, 2023. | https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Pookie