What Does 'DH' Stand For?

DH is an acronym used in social media and text messages

Couple texting

Plume Creative / Getty Images

By
Paul Gil
Writer
Paul Gil, a former Lifewire writer who is also known for his dynamic internet and database courses and has been active in technology fields for over two decades.
our editorial process
Paul Gil
Updated December 03, 2018

DH is one of the internet slang terms that first appeared in forums and spread to messages, email, and social media sites. 

Meanings of DH

DH commonly stands for "dear husband" or "darling husband." Usually, this is a form of written affection used by wives on the internet when referring to their spouses. The "dear" is sometimes interpreted as sarcastic, in which case you'd need to know the sender or situation well to distinguish between the meanings. 

Examples include:

  • My DH should be back from the store in a minute.
  • DH and I are visiting Oregon this summer.
  • My former DH is driving me nuts.

Other Relationship Acronyms

Similar family acronyms include:

Other common relationship acronyms are:

When to Use Internet Acronyms

DH, like other internet acronyms, is appropriate for use in forums, social media sites, personal texts and casual messages between family and friends. However, don't use acronyms in business communications of any kind. The recipient may not understand the meaning, and the usage of unfamiliar acronyms is considered to be unprofessional in business communications.

Some internet acronyms have crossed into our spoken language. You may hear a teen mention her BFF or a Mom refer to her daughter as her DD in a conversation. These acronyms and others joined the ubiquitous LOL (laughing out loud) and OMG (oh my god) in the spoken language.