Golden Retriever boyfriend

English

Etymology

From Golden Retriever +‎ boyfriend, due to a person with this personality trait ostensibly resembling the personality of a Golden Retriever. Arose on social video-sharing service TikTok in 2021, and popularised in late 2023,[1] but attested earlier (see quotations).

Noun

Golden Retriever boyfriend (plural Golden Retriever boyfriends)

(Internet slang) A man who is extroverted and excitable, kind, openly affectionate, confident, happy about life, and immensely caring toward his partner, but possibly naïve or unintelligent.[2]
- 2011 March 10, Giusi, “I guess I just can't post here”, in rec.food.cooking‎, Google Groups:
  My fairweather friends start coming back soon, my golden retriever boyfriend will be here, and I am already getting enquiries about lessons.
- 2015 September 1, Lady_Cardboard, Twitter‎:
  Also they didn't characterize Cullen like the other fics that make him out to be the perfect golden retriever boyfriend everyone writes.
- 2021 December 14, So what is a golden retriever boyfriend? And how do I know if I’m dating one?, The Tab‎:
  A big stereotype on TikTok right now is bi women suggesting they are particularly attracted to golden retriever men. They often create TikToks joking they hate the stereotype and then share their golden retriever boyfriend.

References

Kayla Kibbe (5 December 2023), “Fine, I Admit It—I, Too, Would Like a Golden Retriever Boyfriend”, in Cosmopolitan‎, retrieved 3 February 2024
Kate Lindsay (12 December 2023), “Are You a Golden Retriever Boyfriend—or a Rottweiler?”, in GQ‎: “TikTok defines a ”Golden Retriever boyfriend" as a one who is trusting and kind, unashamed of his feelings, and, while a little naive, full of optimism and positivity that has nowhere to go but out and into the hearts of everyone who surrounds him.”

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[1] Kayla Kibbe (5 December 2023), “Fine, I Admit It—I, Too, Would Like a Golden Retriever Boyfriend”, in Cosmopolitan‎, retrieved 3 February 2024

[2] Kate Lindsay (12 December 2023), “Are You a Golden Retriever Boyfriend—or a Rottweiler?”, in GQ‎: “TikTok defines a ”Golden Retriever boyfriend" as a one who is trusting and kind, unashamed of his feelings, and, while a little naive, full of optimism and positivity that has nowhere to go but out and into the hearts of everyone who surrounds him.”