My better half - or more formal my wife

depends on which partner i am talking about and what our dynamic is

Depends on who I'm talking to! You can't really pick one name for a SO but I'll try to break it down:

Friends: "The ol' lady"
My family: "her name"
Her family: "family-friendly name to show familiarity, like maybe a shortening of her original name"
Her friends: lol jk she can't have friends
Her: (this one is complicated)
When I want something and want her to do it: "Baaaaaaaaaaabyyyyyyyyy"
When we're messing with each other: "Dude" or "Bro"
When I'm trying to be sweet but fail: "Darlin" "Baby" or "Sweetheart"
When I'm trying to express genuine appreciation: "My life" or "My heart"
Under my breath when she pisses me off: "Cunt"
When she hears what I said under my breath: "I said cute! You cutiepie!"
When I'm in the hospital recovering from the head wound: "her name please don't kill me"

Then you get to sex ... and man the name can change based on what kind of sex. Who's being dominant today? Are we being aggressive? Not even getting into that.

Left hand

Currently I refer to him as "Nonexistent."

I try not to talk to invisible people.

Absent.

I'm not in ANY kind of relationship with anyone. Maybe someday.

I'll refer to him as my boyfriend or My Love, or my husband.

Love of my life, or better half? Old lady, or the ball and chain? I pretty consistently use her proper noun. I get shit from all sides! Oh well... guess I'm in the wrong area or era or something, but it hurts no-one the less.

"Hey, you" generally works.

Are you asking about pet names, or terms like "my husband"?