Half of Gen Z drivers give their car nicknames
Half of Gen Z drivers give their car nicknames, with Baby being the most common
Nearly half (47%) of Gen Z drivers in the UK have a nickname for their vehicle, with Baby being the most common, says recent research by Honda UK.
The survey of 1,500 UK drivers found that while most (77%) still call their vehicle a car,
younger drivers are much more likely to give it nicknames.
Favourites include affectionate names like Baby
, Babe
and Betty
.
Power-driven names like Beast
and Rocket
were also popular.
Nostalgic picks like Herbie,
Churchill,
and Elvis
also made the list.
Troy, 31, from London, shared how his family named their small white car Blanco
: “My partner always wanted to name the car, and my daughter just enjoys naming things.
Knowing your car has a nickname evokes positive emotions - it feels like it's part of the family in some weird way.”
Jennika, 31, from Leeds, added: “I call mine Penny the Polo. My mum randomly came up with the name, and it just stuck! I used to get called Penny at school (not really sure why), and it rhymes with Jenny, plus the alliteration of Penny the Polo just works. It's a great conversation starter - I always talk about her as if she's a person, which gets a few laughs.”
The survey goes beyond nicknames, looking into the emotional bond drivers have with their cars. Nearly half (42%) said that specific songs or genres bring back memories of past journeys.
Millennials are the most nostalgic when it comes to music, with 46% reflecting on songs that shaped their formative driving years. Boomers, on the other hand, feel most nostalgic when seeing classic cars on the road (29%) and the days of using physical maps (24%).
Celebrating 25 years of hybrids, Honda shared a milestone that mirrors Gen Z's age. Drivers in this age group (29%) often feel nostalgic about simple things, like the breeze through an open window.
Honda's survey also shows how nostalgic trends differ by region. In London, 48% of drivers say listening to specific songs or genres brings back good memories, and 42% enjoy stopping at familiar spots such as roadside cafes or scenic lookouts. In the East Midlands 40% link positive memories to driving familiar routes, and 33% of people in South East tie good times to the company they share while driving.
| Rank | Top 10 positive driving triggers across the UK | % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Listening to specific songs or genres of music | 42% |
| 2 | Revisiting routes you've driven in the past | 35% |
| 3 | Stopping at familiar spots (e.g., roadside diners, scenic lookouts) |
32% |
| 4 | The company you share (friends, family, loved ones) |
28% |
| 5= | Seeing your first car / an old model you owned on the road |
25% |
| 5= | Wind blowing through an open window | 25% |
| 5= | Seeing classic/vintage cars on the road | 25% |
| 8 | Using a physical map | 19% |
| 9 | The unique smell of different cars / air fresheners / leather seats |
17% |
| 10 | The sound of the engine/exhaust | 17% |
Above: a table containing survey data gathered by Honda UK.
Generation splits:
- Gen Z (Born after 1996)
- Millennials (Born 1981-1996)
- Gen X (Born 1965-1980)
- Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
Methodology
- Audience: 1,500 UK drivers.
- Survey period: 17/10/24 - 20/10/24.
- The survey was unbranded for all respondents.
- Panel Provider: Honda via OnePoll.