Used as a form of endearment in the midlands of England esp. Birmingham and the Black Country. Similar phrases may be "my dear" or "duck". Used frequently by middle aged women to young men.
The CA Panthers allstar cheerleaders use the acronym BABS for their team. It’s pretty hard to find the true definition because it actually has multiple meanings. They tell the younger girls that it means Black And Blue Sass, but it actually means Bad Ass Bitches.