We all laughed when Mbongeni Ngema called someone "ithambo lam le Kentucky" in his famous song Stimela sa seZola - although - most of us would admit to wanting a more cute pet name.

After all, they say the pet name that your partner calls you by reveals a lot about how they feel about you.

Relationship counsellor Lethabo Ntsasa believes that the pet name a partner has for you could reveal if they are invested in the relationship, or if they see you as a temporary means to an end.

"As human beings, we use different ways to express our feelings. It may be gestures of love like the dinner dates and strawberries and cream, but there are also other non-verbal and not-so-obvious hints that can reveal how someone genuinely feels about you. Think of it in the sense of someone you really dislike.

"Try as you may, when their name is brought up in a conversation, you are bound to react using body language; perhaps rolling your eyes, a change in facial expression or even a deep sigh, that may signify to those who brought up the name that you are not really a fan.

"Pet names are exactly the same. Although your partner may not go out of their way to chose a particular pet name for you based on sophistication of thought or dissecting the science behind it, it is normally what made them gravitate towards that name that holds the key to how they feel about you and your relationship in general," he says.

Ntsasa decodes some of the most common pet names:

Bae

It could reveal that this person does not really see you as anything special.

It says a lot when a partner chooses the most commonly used pet name and sees it as befitting to you.

The undertone is that they are not in any form of commitment with you and are still testing the waters.

Sweetheart

Although it has a nice ring to it, there is something about this particular pet name that signifies that the person is a smooth talker.

Sweetheart may be used by partners who are still in the honeymoon phase and have not really settled into the reality of a long-term commitment as yet.

"It may come from the heart, but sweetheart is still murky when it comes to clarifying exactly where the relationship will be in 10 years."

Pumpkin

Many people may see it as flattering, but beware - your partner may be speaking volumes about your level of maturity and that of the relationship.

It falls under the category of cutsie pet names, which could say that your partner sees you as an immature baby who needs to be patted and kissed on the forehead.

Honey

This is the pet name our parents liked to use.

It definitely signifies that a person is settled in the relationship and is in it for the long haul.

Plus, it is heart melting and sweet to the ear, which is not a bad thing.

Mama/papa

It is a very respectful pet name to give a partner as it is how we commonly refer to someone we see as an elder and have a deep respect for.

That said, be careful if your partner uses it in the subtext of seeing you as their parent and it is accompanied by you being the mother or father figure in the relationship.

Celebs' pet names

Hollywood celebrities have very interesting pet names for their significant others. Here are a few interesting ones.

Kim Kardashian calls Kanye West "Ned"

Many have speculated as to why this is and have thought it was because Kanye was allegedly quite nerdy as a kid, but Kim has kept mum about her reasons.

Jennifer Aniston calls Justin Theroux "Hey"

This has been speculated to have been inspired by The Fixer's famous couple Olivia Pope and her president lover, who refer to each other as "Hi".

Serena Williams called Drake "Degrassi"

When it was alleged that the two were dating, Williams allegedly had a pet name for Drake, Degrassi, but had originally called him "Wheelchair." She changed it after Drake told her it made him uncomfortable. No one knows the inspiration behind the somewhat bizarre pet name.