What does it mean when a guy calls you by your last name?

[Anonymous]

What does it mean when a guy calls you by your last name?

Is he flirting/playing with you or is it his way of saying "you are and will always be just a friend - friend zone"?

I emailed a guy friend of mine and started it with "Hey hon" - my email was not romantic or leading in anyway. He responded to my email with addressing me by my last name, stating some fact and signing it. It just surprised me that he addressed me by my last name. I felt it was cold and maybe setting the tone that I shouldn't have addressed him as "hon"?

I didn't mean anything by the "hon" but I don't know if I may have freaked him out by addressing my email to him like that. He isn't a very close friend so maybe he thought it was romantic and wanted to let me know not to get any ideas?

Guys, what do you think?

He is flirting with you and likes you a lot.

He wants you to know that you are and will only be considered a "friend", not girlfriend.

He is socially retarded and should never refer to any woman by her last name.

[aikido]

That the person is disrespectful, if someone calls me hon, I am smart enough to know that it means honey and you meant nothing by calling him hon in the first instance. Though for him to send you can email and address you by your surname is not right, he has no manners.

I can understand that you though it was a bit cold, getting called by your surname. That is like you have a pet dog and saying to it here dog get over here, instead of saying Sheba come here.

It is not always the best thing to let people you hardly know your email address. I would ignore him if he is stupid enough to address you with your surname.

[joshtheturtle]

This is not true at all. It is extremely common in workplace/business settings to refer to someone by their surname in e-mails, and it is disrespectful to refer to them by their first name if you are not familiar with them. You seem to have got this completely the wrong way around.

[zeitgeist057]

@joshtheturtle yup, and it can also be a term of endearment for coworkers and teammates if a person has any history of playing sports or being on a team like in firefighting we would always (respectfully) call people by their last names. It can be a cultural difference as well, since for example in China a person always goes by their family (last) name.

[jamesjems]

Yeah, I agree with what 33Tango said...it could mean something, but it's too tough to figure it out without non-verbal cues. Look at his actions in a broader context.

I call only one woman by her last name: my best friend's wife. I call her by her maiden name, as in "Hey, Jones..." For me, it's a term of endearment, and I think she knows that.

[Asker]

Thanks for your input. It could be a term of endearment and hopefully I didn't freak him out with "dear heart". I call everyone dear heart (well, the people I like!) at some point - but I am not often around this guy. Just a little email communication. If women could learn to just not worry about stupid little things!! ;-)

[33tango]

not uncommon for military guys. it probably means nothing if not. guys are just not that deep. women read wayyyyy to much into every little detail.

[Asker]

Thanks for your input. You are right - Women DO ready way too much into every detail and analyze the hell out it!!

[Lena19]

Does he have a military background by chance?

[In_Trance]

He can't remember your first name