Pet Names: A Game of Endearments

Have you ever called someone a cute nickname that popped into your head because they're most definitely a little carefree cookie? A sweet napping panda? A surprising sunshine troublemaker? 

Pet Names: A Game of Endearments is a fast, fun party game where you compete to create the best nicknames for your friends and family.

And introducing Charlie, an adorable fox plush bag filled with 400 mini cards that you'll use to craft endless combinations of playful, charming, and hilarious nicknames. 

Charlie also doubles as a cute mini-bag: just attach your favorite strap to the attached rings to carry it as a hands-free crossbody bag. 

Who can play?

Pet Names is designed for 2-7 players and includes separate rules for both two-player and 3-7 player games. Officially, Pet Names is for ages 10 and up, though none of the cards in the deck are inappropriate for players of any age. Gameplay takes about 15 minutes, depending on the number of players.

What's Included

• One box with illustrations by the most magical talented cupcake, Kristine Evans
• 400 mini word cards
• One rule booklet 
• One plush fox bag called Charlie

Charlie is made of eco-friendly, fluffy faux fur in warm orange, with a creamy vanilla face, black perky ears, embroidered eyes and nose, a sly side-smile, and soft pink cheeks. The Pet Names logo sits on the back above the bushy tail.

The bag opens and closes with black drawstring cords and has silver detachable rings on either side for adding your own strap. It’s lined in pink fabric and measures approximately 7¼ inches tall by 7¼ inches wide (plus 2½ inch ears).

Your fox bag is transportable and can be used to carry whatever you wish, so bring your cheerful companion everywhere you go!

How to Play

In Pet Names, you'll compete to create the best nicknames in each round—first to three wins the game!

Setup

For the first round, pass Charlie — the plush fox holding all the Pet Names cards — to the player with the birthday closest to the current date.

The player holding Charlie deals everyone seven cards, and places five cards face-up in the center of the table within reach of all players.

Turns

In each round, every player makes one pet name for the person holding Charlie using 2 to 4 cards from their hand. Make it funny, sweet, or silly—whatever you think fits them best!

Players may also choose to draw from the pool of face-up cards on the table or a random card from Charlie. Always replenish the pool of face-up cards to five.

THE CATCH: Any card drawn from Charlie or the card pool must be used in the pet name on your turn.

The Reveal

Once everyone has made their pet names, players read them aloud to the subject (the person holding Charlie), going clockwise.

The subject chooses their favorite pet name, and the player who created it wins the round.

Discard all unused name cards. Everyone draws back up to seven cards. Pass Charlie clockwise to the next player, who becomes the next subject for your pet names.

The first player to have three winning nicknames chosen wins Pet Names!

Two Players

Gameplay setup is the same as above. Each round, players take turns creating three pet names for the other person—one per turn, passing Charlie back and forth. 

Once all six names are revealed, both players agree on which set of three names was the best. That player wins the round.

The best of three rounds wins Pet Names!