I call my students terms of endearment all the time, in english, and i have a bunch of them...pumpkin, honey, sweetie, sugar, sweetpea, etc.
i do it only to the kids i really like/ love. I dont do it do those that i dont care much for....they usually get their full name... Kind of like when you're a child and get in trouble and you KNOW youre in trouble when mama calls you by your 1st,middle, and last names....
And i wonder why there are so many food related nicknames in english?