Do you refer to non blood relations as Uncle or Aunt?

[ShawnFuzz]

I was told by someone that you should only be called Aunt or Uncle by your siblings kids.

But growing up I called my uncle's dad uncle as well. Also a close friend of the family was called uncle.

When I relocated, I lived with my cousin and her kids called me uncle. Even though they are not technically my nephews, and my cousin is only a cousin through marriage.

Is it weird to use the terms aunt and uncle when siblings are not involved? I was taught that it was a respectful way to address people who were close to the family. Thoughts?

 

[seliph]

yeah, i'm indian so basically any older relative who isn't a cousin is auntie or uncle lol, and my mom's close friend is auntie as well. it's a respect thing.

 

[Balverine]

I call my dad's aunt and uncle my aunt and uncle LOL and I've called close family friends aunt and uncle too, so I don't think it's weird

 

[Croconaw]

I used to, but now I just don’t refer to them at all. I prefer to just use their real names if I have to refer to them.

 

[pottercrossing]

I call all my stepmom's sisters my aunts, as well as close family friends (that I like). If I don't like said close family friend I'm just using their real name. The only exception to that rule is anyone from my stepmom's part of the family.

 

[Roxxy]

I did when I was growing up as it was respectful and first names weren’t used as much. All my mum’s friends were Auntie. It was a shock in college when teachers were called their first name.

I was also auntie to a few of my friends children (and also auntie to two fur babies still )

 

[Corrie]

I call them aunt and uncle as soon as they're married to my aunt/uncle. I remember calling my aunt by her name when my uncle and her were just dating but as soon as they got married, it took adjustment to call her "auntie ____" instead of just ____.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

Sort of because of my Taiwanese heritage.

 

[Zinnia.]

I usually just call them by their first name. The only exception is my dad's cousin, who I call uncle even though he's not technically my uncle.

 

[Kitsuragi]

yep, my dads high school best friend and his wife are aunt/uncle to me. great people, they re-did all of the wood flooring in our house in exchange for dad's caramel pecan pie cheesecake LOL

 

[Goldi Locks]

Yeah this is how I refer to friends of my parents and when I was a kid we tended to call all the other parents of kids in the neighbourhood Auntie and Uncle etc, though some were related. I've lost track of who I'm actually related to.

 

[Kamex]

Ya, I often refer to my mom's friends and her cousins as my aunt and uncle out of respect. However, I refer to my great aunts as grandma since all three of them are old.

 

[.: Meri :.]

Any sort of weird/complex relation defaults to aunt/uncle for me as well lol, same with cousin if they're closer to my age. Outside of the family, generally not, but my parents had a very close friend who was like family to us, and I always (and still do) call him my uncle.

 

[VernalLapin]

I do use those terms for those who married my parents’ siblings. We’re all family here ^^ Though when I mentioned my non-blood Onkel to my host mom in Germany, she said “that’s not your uncle, that’s your Schwager”. Guess they don’t use that term there, or at least in that family. Twas interesting.

 

[Gabby]

yep, my dads high school best friend and his wife are aunt/uncle to me. great people, they re-did all of the wood flooring in our house in exchange for dad's caramel pecan pie cheesecake LOL

This interaction has a Stardew Valley vibe.

 

[Chris]

Nope. I don't even refer to blood relations as aunt/uncle.

When speaking directly I use their name. When talking about them it's always "my dad's sister" or "my mum's sister's husband".

 

[Hyoon]

yep i'm asian so we typically refer to any other adults as uncle/aunt even if they're not related. when i was younger it would genuinely confuse me whether this aunt was actually family or just some random family friend lol

 

[Ghost Of Mascevanje]

Never have, never will.

 

[cornimer]

I call my parents' best friends and my parents' aunts/uncles "uncle" and "auntie".

Additionally, while I'm not South Asian, my job requires me to interact with older South Asian adults at times and I'll call them "auntie" and "uncle" out of respect since it's common/expected in their culture.

 

[smoky]

a lot of my family isn't blood related or is half blood related, but everyone is just aunt and uncle and whatever. im closer to a lot of the people not blood related than my actual blood. my great aunts and uncles are all just aunt and uncle too.