'Babygirl': Explaining the term associated with middle-aged men on TikTok
Several TikTok users have started using the term 'babygirl' It is often used as a cute pet name, usually for girls. Recently, however, it has become known with a new meaning and is associated with middle-aged men.
People are baffled as to how and why the meaning of the word evolved. It's not uncommon for social media platforms to invent new words or terms. But TikTokers have also managed to give a word a new meaning that is radically different from its original meaning.
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What does 'babygirl' mean on TikTok?
A baby girl is "a term used towards grown fictional men who have the fandom in a loving chokehold," according to Urban Dictionary. One popular TikTok user also claims that a babygirl should have two of the following characteristics, “Eyes, cries, and war crimes. They have beautiful eyes, they’ve cried onscreen, they’ve committed atrocities,” Dexerto explained.
Why are middle-aged men being called 'babygirl'?
Even with corporate oversight and content guardrails, the internet nevertheless occasionally nails language. The term of the moment is "babygirl," a term coined in the depths of online fandom to designate sociopathic and sympathetic middle-aged male antiheroes in TV shows and films.
The term is now frequently used in a more sarcastic context. It's frequently directed at males in their thirties and up, who may not be immediately linked with words like "baby" or "girl." Characters such as Joel from 'The Last of Us' and Walter White from 'Breaking Bad,' as well as actor Pedro Pascal, have been labeled as "babygirls" by TikTok users.