Woman Asks Older Co-Worker to Stop Calling Her ‘Condescending’ Nickname, but He Insists She’s Just Too ‘Sensitive’

Nicknames in the workplace can quickly blur the line between friendly and disrespectful — especially when there’s a big age gap and a power dynamic at play.

On Reddit, a 32-year-old woman shared that she recently joined a new team where most of her colleagues are in their “mid-40s to late 50s.” She doesn’t mind being the youngest on the team — what she does mind is the nickname given to her by a 58-year-old coworker: “kiddo.”

“At first it was in passing, which was annoying but tolerable,” she wrote.

Over time, though, it escalated.

According to her post, he started saying things like, “Don’t worry, kiddo, we’ll handle the complicated parts,” “Kiddo, can you grab the notes from earlier?” and “It’s cute watching you learn, kiddo.” She noted that he only uses this nickname for her — never for the younger men on the team.

The behavior didn’t stay behind closed doors, either. During a recent client meeting where she was presenting, her colleague cut her off and said, “Let me explain, kiddo’s still catching up.”

While “everyone laughed,” she wrote that she “wanted to crawl out of my skin.”

After the meeting, she pulled him aside and calmly asked him to use her actual name, explaining that the nickname felt condescending. Instead of apologizing, he became defensive.

“Wow. Sensitive much? It’s an affectionate term. Learn to take a joke,” he allegedly replied.

He later complained to another coworker, calling her “one of those easily-offended types,” which left her feeling like the “uptight new girl” on the team.

She turned to Reddit to ask: “Am I overreacting for thinking this nickname is disrespectful?”

Commenters overwhelmingly took her side, saying the coworker’s behavior wasn’t just annoying — it was unprofessional.

“That’s extremely unprofessional and contributing to a toxic workplace, especially if it makes you feel uncomfortable and you’ve asked him to stop. Report,” one person wrote.

Another commenter said, “He’s being misogynist and unprofessional.”

A third person offered a snarky comeback — and a warning.

They jokingly suggested she start calling him “pop-pop” or “grandpa,” and when he got upset, respond with, “Awww, is it past your bedtime?”

But they quickly added that this isn’t the real solution.

“In all seriousness, don’t do this. Report to HR. Get it on record,” they advised, noting that being treated like a “kid” in the office can damage how colleagues perceive her competence and ultimately affect her future at the company.