Why Is It Attractive When Your Partner Calls You By Your Last Name?

Maybe calling your partner by their last name imbues them with more mystery than they have when you call them by their first name. On the TV show "New Girl," the characters wait six seasons to find out that smooth (yet cringy) ladies' man Schmidt's first name is Winston, which he doesn't end up using since it's also another friend's name. But knowing Schmidt's first name arguably detracts from his cool factor. The writers imply this by simultaneously revealing his very silly middle name, Saint-Marie. 

Sexpert and author Tracy Clark-Flory told Bustle some of the reasons why we might enjoy the mystery surrounding a last name. "It's a way to kind of express a fondness or intimacy, but at a distance," she shared. Feeling semi-sporty and a bit flirty also has its advantage. "If you're just one of the guys, then it's almost a fun challenge — to be seen as not just a friend, to be seen as a woman." She explained further, "There's something very subtly neg-like about it that might be intriguing . . . We're not really being tender and sweet with each other, we're doing it with this air of toughness." However, in this case, your tone has to ensure that last-naming your partner feels flirty rather than mocking.