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The online slang Pookie has been a buzzword among GenZ TikTokers since the 2020s. It is often used as a cute and endearing nickname or a term of affection for a loved one, a friend, or even a pet, to convey feelings of fondness, warmth, and attachment in both a genuine and a tongue-in-cheek manner.
According to Know Your Meme, the origins of the word can be traced back to the 1930s when it was a popular name and nickname in the United States. By the 1960s, the term soon became synonymous with endearment. It was added to the Urban Dictionary on March 11, 2005, which defined it as:
"A term of endearment and affection. It is a name akin to lovebug, cuddlemuffin, babe, honey, lover, etc. "
Many GenZ cybernauts have taken to describing their favorite celebrity or a character using the term.
TikToker Jay R Scottyy is often referred to as Pookie by his followers
The term has recently been adapted into various contexts by TikTokers and many have taken to adding it in their captions as a hashtag in a casual and informal manner with an undertone of affection. User @hixko shared a meme Tiktok video on May 11, 2023, with an in-video caption:
"It's illegal to call your friend pookie wookie bear cotton swab boogy woogie cherry apple pie."
The clip went viral and has garnered over 6.6 million views in just three months.
However, not all TikTokers were slang-savvy. When user @ilywonyounq questioned what the term Pookie means, several netizens also explained that the lasagna-loving cat, Garfield, from its namesake comic, has a pet teddy named Pooky. This further popularized it as a cute nickname.
In a separate viral post-TikToker @a.a.c.c.i.i.d.d affectionately used the word Pookie to describe his friends. It gained over 1.6 million views, and 310,000 likes in just two weeks.
More TikTok slangs explained
Pookie is not the only colloquial term that has left netizens baffled.
Several controversial posts and takes on Twitter are filled with comments using the word ratio. The phrase is used to indicate something that many disagree with, like a bad take, or opinion.
If a person's post is ratioed, it means many have disliked it. It is even used to express strong displeasure.
Another commonly used term is ASL, which is a shortened form of the phrase as hell. Originally, ASL stood for age/s*x/location. It was popularly used on Omegle to gain personal information from a stranger.
Meanwhile, the phrase smh stands for shaking my head. It is used to express exasperation, frustration, or show disbelief on social media. However, this is not a TikTok-only term.
The slang word, rizz, is another popular phrase used on TikTok. It refers to a person's charming or seducing skills. The term is applied in the context of charming a potential romantic partner. It is a shortened form of the word charisma.
Not all TikTok slangs stick and are just short-term fads. However, Pookie seems to be one to stay.
