You’ve noticed that sometimes men call you shawty or shorty when conversing with you, and you want to know what it means. You’re assuming it’s a compliment because the terms are rarely said to you by guys you know but by random men in the street asking for your phone number. But what does it actually mean? Is shawty/shorty derogatory? Should you be offended when a guy refers to you as shawty/shorty? Keep reading to find out what it means when a guy calls you shawty/shorty.
Is Hey Shawty A Compliment?
In general, the term shawty is a compliment. It’s a slang word for an attractive woman. It originates from Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States. Men started calling women shorty because females are typically shorter than men. The word later evolved into shawty. When a man is trying to get a woman’s attention, he’ll say something like, “hey shawty, let me holla at you real quick.” If she decides to entertain him, he’ll ask her name, give her some additional compliments and attempt to ask for her phone number.
What Does It Mean When A Guy Calls You Shawty?
When a guy calls you shawty, it can mean several things including, he thinks you’re hot, he wants your phone number, or he calls all women shawty.
Boo, Dude, CrazySweetheart, LadyShawty, Pretty, BeautifulAdorable, Hot, HunBro, Daddy, MommyBabe, Love, GorgeousSweet, Sexy
Keep reading to find out what it means when a guy calls you shawty.
#1 He Thinks You’re Hot
When a guy thinks you’re hot and he doesn’t know your name, he’ll call you shawty. He may not want to speak to you or get your number, but as he walks past, he’ll say something like, “What’s up shawty.” Or, “I like dem jeans shawty.” But that’s as far as he’ll take it. He’ll say what he wants to say and keep it moving.
#2 He Wants Your Phone Number
Other times, a guy calls you shawty because he thinks you’re hot and wants your phone number. In this instance, he won’t walk past. He may grab your hand or ask if he can speak to you. He’ll then engage in small talk, asking whether you live in the area and if you’ve got a boyfriend. If he feels confident that you’ll give him your number, he’ll ask for it.
#3 He Calls All Women Shawty
For some men, the word shawty is a term of endearment, and he addresses all women this way, especially if he doesn’t know their names. If a man needs to ask for directions or he needs help with something, he may say, “hey, shawty,” to get your attention. He’ll then apologize for disturbing you, ask for what he needs, and go on his way.
#4 He Wants To Get To Know You
Because he’s attracted to you, he wants to get to know you and will call you shawty to let you know this. You may be at a bar, and he notices you as you walk by and says, “hey shawty,” hoping you’ll stop and talk to him so he can get to know you better.
#5 He Wants To Sleep With You
For a man looking for a one-night stand, it’s a game of numbers. He’ll spend the day approaching several women, hoping one of them will take him up on his offer. He won’t ask you to sleep with him directly, but he’s not trying to get to know you. All he wants is your phone number so he can call you later and get the booty. He’ll probably store your digits as something like, Shawty Front Street, which is the name of the road he met you on.
What Do You Say Back When A Guy Calls You Shawty Or Shorty?
You can say several things back when a guy calls you shawty or shorty, including my name isn’t shawty, refer to him as buff tings, or, how can I help you? Keep reading to find out what to say back when a guy calls you shawty or shorty.
#1 My Name Isn’t Shawty
By telling him your name isn’t shawty, you’re inviting him to ask for your real name. So don’t say this unless you want to engage with him. And when you do say it, have a smile on your face so he knows you’re not aggravated with being approached on the street.
#2 Refer To Him As Buff Tings
If you find the guy attractive, refer to him as buff tings. Since we’re using slang, buff tings is slang for an attractive man. By addressing him in this way, you’re letting him know that the feelings are mutual and you’re down for whatever he’s down with.
#3 How Can I Help You?
It’s more than likely that the guy is calling you shawty because he wants your phone number. But since you don’t know for sure, be polite and ask how you can help him. There’s a chance he’ll ask you for directions or something else. By responding in this way, you’re giving him the opportunity for him to tell you what he wants instead of jumping to conclusions. If he asks for your contact details and you’re not interested, tell him you’ve got a boyfriend even if you haven’t. Telling him you’ve got a boyfriend is the safest thing to do because, unfortunately, some men can’t handle rejection and may get aggressive. To avoid this, say you’ve got a partner and keep it moving.
#4 Don’t Get Offended
There’s no need to get offended when a man calls you shawty because the guy isn’t being rude. That’s just what he calls attractive females, and if you get offended, he may get defensive, and you’ll end up having a confrontation with some random man in the street.
#5 Ignore Him
Sometimes, the best thing to do when a guy calls you shawty is to ignore him. This works wonderfully if you’re wearing headphones. A lot of females wear headphones in the street because they don’t want to deal with being catcalled any time they’re out and about. It’s all well and good having men find you attractive, but it can get annoying when you can’t get from one end of the street to the other because some guy is trying to talk to you every two seconds.
Final Thought
As you’ve read, shawty/shorty is typically used by men when they want to speak to a woman they find attractive. How you respond will determine the direction of the conversation. If you think he’s cute too, spend a couple of minutes speaking to him so that you can catch his vibe before you give him your number. However, if you’re not interested, you can either ignore him or tell him you’ve got a boyfriend.
