The term zaddy most often refers to a mature gentleman who is attractive, charming, confident, and stylish. Popular with Generation Z social media users, the term has grown in popularity in the early 2020s.
History of Zaddy
While the origin of the term is up for debate with some sources tracing its beginnings back as far as 2008, its popularity grew exponentially with the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s 2016 song “Zaddy”. The lyrics of that song reference a man of financial means who spends large amounts of money on a partner: “She love to go shoppin' in Paris / She keep on callin' me zaddy … she got zaddy runnin' up a budget on her.”
Who qualifies as a zaddy?
Is there a narrow definition of who qualifies as a Zaddy? Depending on who you talk to, it seems that more than anything, zaddy is a state of mind. The term can be applied to people of any gender or parental status and is indeed, often applied to childfree individuals. The truth is, it’s mostly about a vibe that lies in the eye of the beholder.
The other factor that is consistently mentioned in the zaddy discussion is age — a zaddy is assumed to be older than the person bestowing the title on them. Though, that is also up for debate.
“There is an ongoing debate about whether age is a determining factor for being considered a Zaddy.”says Dirty Lola, Sex Educator, Edutainer, Dildo Slinger and host of Sex Ed A Go Go. “Personally, I believe that being a Zaddy is less about a specific age and more about displaying maturity, style, swagger, confidence, and, of course, sporting a well-groomed beard... The notion of a Zaddy extends beyond age and focuses on an individual's overall allure and attractiveness”
Zaddy vs. Daddy
In any discussion of the term zaddy, there is almost always mention of the term daddy, and the general concept of masculinity. While it is true that people who find themselves described by each of these terms might share a lot of the same features, there are some important distinctions that separate that zaddies from the daddies.
According to Brandon Simpson, AMFT, ASAT, an LGBTQ Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at Novus Mindful Life, “Zaddy is a sexually attractive older man. However, to be a Zaddy, instead of a daddy, there is usually a societal sexual appeal with a sense of fashion and confidence.”
So while both daddies and zaddies are sexually attractive older men (or, as we mentioned above, sexually attractive individuals of any gender and age who just have that vibe that make you want to call them daddy/zaddy), zaddies tend to be a bit more fashionable and have more swag.
One might say that all zaddies are daddies but not all daddies are zaddies.
Culturally Significant Zaddies
Though who gets to be called a zaddy is, once again, subjective, some famous names come up repeatedly. Here are some of the most commonly referenced popular zaddies:
- Idris Elba
- Jeff Goldblum
- Christopher Merloni
- Pedro Pascal
