From Bestie to Homie: Slang Words for Friends: The Ultimate List

Friendship has its own language. Most people do not greet someone they care about with a formal “Hello, friend.” We use nicknames, cultural expressions, inside jokes, and slang that reflect how close we are and what that relationship means to us.

A person might be your buddy, bestie, bro, homie, or day one, but those words do not all describe exactly the same kind of friendship. Some are casual, some communicate loyalty, and others are reserved for friends who have become more like family.

Where Do Slang Words for Friends Come From?

Slang words for friends come from regional dialects, Black American culture, hip-hop, immigrant communities, television, music, gaming, and the internet.

Terms such as homie, homeboy, homegirl, dawg, and fam became widely recognized through Black culture and hip-hop, although some have histories that extend beyond the eras in which they became nationally popular. Once slang enters mainstream culture, people often use it without knowing where it originated.

Other expressions are regional. Mate is common in British and Australian English, while amigo and amiga come from Spanish. The internet has also helped terms such as bestie, twin, and internet bestie travel across communities and generations.

Slang changes meaning over time. A word used sincerely by one generation may sound playful, nostalgic, or ironic to the next. Its meaning can also change depending on the speaker, relationship, and tone. Words such as chief, boss, and buster can sound affectionate among friends but sarcastic or confrontational in a different setting.

Slang Words for Friends

Here are some of the most popular casual, affectionate, and creative alternatives to the word “friend,” arranged in alphabetical order.

• Ace — A very close, trusted, or dependable friend.

• Ally — Someone who supports you, stands with you, or shares a common cause.

• Amiga — The Spanish word for a female friend, sometimes used casually by English speakers.

• Amigo — The Spanish word for a male friend, sometimes used casually by English speakers.

• Bestie — A best friend or someone considered especially close.

• BFF — An abbreviation for “best friends forever.”

• Big dog — A familiar and complimentary way to address a friend.

• Boss — A friendly form of address that can communicate familiarity or respect.

• Bro — Short for “brother,” but commonly used for a close friend who is not a relative.

• Broham — A playful variation of “bro” used for a male friend.

• Brother from another mother — A male friend who feels as close as a biological brother.

• Bruh — A casual variation of “bro” that can refer to a friend or express disbelief, annoyance, or surprise.

• Bruv — A British variation of “brother” used to address a male friend.

• Bubba — An affectionate nickname for a brother, close friend, or familiar companion.

• Buddy — A casual word for a friend or someone you enjoy spending time with.

• Bud — A shortened form of “buddy.”

• Buster — A playful nickname in some friendships, although it can also sound dismissive or confrontational.

• Champ — An encouraging or complimentary name for a friend.

• Chief — A familiar form of address that can sound friendly, sarcastic, or slightly old-fashioned depending on the tone.

• Chum — An informal and somewhat old-fashioned word for a close friend.

• Cousin — A relative by definition, but also used as a familiar term for someone connected through community, culture, or chosen family.

• Crony — A longtime friend or close associate, often used negatively when the relationship involves favoritism or questionable behavior.

• Cuzzo — A slang variation of “cousin” used for a relative, friend, or someone treated like family.

• Dawg — A familiar term for a friend, especially in hip-hop-influenced slang.

• Day one — A loyal friend who has supported you from the beginning.

• Dude — A casual way to address a friend or another familiar person.

• Fair-weather friend — An unreliable friend who remains present during good times but disappears when difficulties arise.

• Fam — Short for “family” and used for friends who are loved and trusted like relatives.

• Girlie — A playful and affectionate way to address a female friend.

• God — A respectful form of address used among some men, particularly within language influenced by the Nation of Gods and Earths and hip-hop culture.

• Homeboy — A male friend, traditionally someone from the same neighborhood, hometown, or community.

• Homegirl — A female friend, traditionally someone from the same neighborhood, hometown, or community.

• Homes — A shortened variation of “homie” used for a close friend.

• Home skillet — A playful variation of “homie.”

• Homeslice — Another playful variation of “homie.”

• Homie — A close friend or trusted person from your neighborhood or social circle.

• Internet bestie — A close friend someone originally met or primarily communicates with online.

• King — A complimentary way to encourage, celebrate, or show respect to a male friend.

• Main — A person considered someone’s primary or closest friend.

• Main man — A close, dependable, or highly valued male friend.

• Mate — A common word for a friend in the United Kingdom, Australia, and several other English-speaking regions.

• My guy — A familiar way to address or refer to a male friend.

• My girl — An affectionate way to address or refer to a female friend.

• My nizzle — A dated hip-hop-influenced term used as familiar address for a friend; it developed as an altered euphemism for a racial slur and may be inappropriate outside the communities that use it.

• My people(s) — Friends, relatives, or community members with whom someone feels a strong sense of comfort and belonging.

• Number one — A person considered someone’s closest, most important, or most dependable friend.

• Other half — A close friend whose personality or presence seems to complement your own.

• Pal — A lighthearted and somewhat old-fashioned word for a friend.

• Partner — A trusted friend or companion who regularly joins you in activities.

• Partner in crime — A playful name for a friend who joins you in adventures, jokes, or harmless mischief.

• Patna — A phonetic variation of “partner” used for a close friend or trusted associate.

• Queen — A complimentary way to encourage, celebrate, or show respect to a female friend.

• Ride-or-die — A deeply loyal friend who remains present through difficult situations.

• Rider — A dependable and loyal friend who stands beside you.

• Right hand — A highly trusted friend who consistently offers help, advice, or support.

• Sis — Short for “sister” and commonly used for a close female friend.

• Sister from another mister — A female friend who feels as close as a biological sister.

• Son — A familiar form of address for a younger male or male friend, especially in New York and hip-hop-influenced slang.

• Soul friend — A friend with whom someone shares a particularly deep emotional connection.

• Soul sister — A female friend with whom someone shares a deep personal or emotional connection.

• Sport — An old-fashioned and informal name for a friend or younger person.

• Star — A complimentary form of address for someone admired, appreciated, or seen as special.

• Twin — A close friend who shares your personality, appearance, habits, or way of thinking.

• Work bestie — A coworker who has become an especially close friend at work.

Slang Words for a Group of Friends

Some words refer to an entire social group rather than one individual friend.

• Besties — A group of very close friends.

• Bros — A group of male friends or friends who share a brotherly relationship.

• Circle — The group of people someone regularly associates with.

• Clique — A tightly connected friend group, sometimes with the negative suggestion that it excludes other people.

• Crew — A group of friends who regularly spend time together.

• Fam — A group of close friends who treat one another like family.

• Gang — A familiar group of friends when used casually and outside its more serious meanings.

• Homies — A group of close friends or people from the same community.

• Inner circle — The small group of people someone trusts most.

• Posse — A group of friends who regularly travel, socialize, or appear together.

• Squad — A close-knit group of friends.

• Team — Friends who regularly support one another, work together, or participate in the same activities.

• The girls — A casual name for a group of female friends.

• Wolf pack — A playful name for a close group that regularly moves or socializes together.

Slang and Phrases For Kinds of Friendships

Not every friendship fits neatly into the categories of casual friend, close friend, or best friend. Some expressions describe the boundaries of the relationship, how close two people are, or whether the friendship is currently in a good place.

• Cool — On friendly or peaceful terms with someone, even if the two people are not particularly close.

• Cut buddies — Friends or acquaintances who have a casual sexual relationship without a formal romantic commitment.

• Fair-weather friendship — A friendship in which someone remains present during good times but disappears when problems arise.

• Fell out — No longer friendly because of a disagreement, betrayal, or other conflict.

• Frenemies — People who behave like friends while also experiencing rivalry, resentment, distrust, or dislike.

• Friend zone — A situation in which one person wants a romantic relationship while the other sees the connection as strictly platonic.

• Friends with benefits — Friends who also have a casual sexual relationship without identifying as a committed romantic couple.

• Locked in — Deeply connected, committed, and loyal to one another.

• More than friends — A friendship that has developed romantic or sexual feelings but may not yet have an official label.

• Mutuals — People connected through shared friends or social-media circles who may be friendly without knowing one another closely.

• On speaking terms — Willing to communicate after a disagreement, although the friendship may not be fully repaired.

• Platonic — A close or affectionate relationship without a romantic or sexual component.

• Situationship — A relationship with romantic or sexual elements that has not been clearly defined or formally committed.

• Tight — Very close, comfortable, and loyal to one another.

These expressions do not necessarily name the person in the friendship. Instead, they explain what is happening between the people, how they relate to one another, or where the relationship currently stands.