Nashville Online Dating

General Dating Sites

All of the major online dating sites allow you to search by location. Some have portals especially for specific cities, but there's nothing special about them: they give the same results you'd get if you did a search from the main homepage.

If you're looking for more local sites, try these.

Craigslist

Craigslist is a mostly-free web site for locals in several dozen cities to post classified ads. It can be a great place to look for an apartment, a job, and even a new friend. A small "personals" section invites ads from people looking for love.

The Nashville Craigslist has a slow but steady stream of ads from men and women in Nashville and surrounding areas. These aren't typical profiles. Craigslist doesn't have forms to fill out, so you won't find categories like "About Me," "Interests," or "What I'm Looking For." Some of the ads on this site are strikingly heartfelt essays about the person's hopes and dreams. Others are more concise: "I'm looking for an attractive woman for some fun."

There are Nashville online dating categories for heterosexual and homosexual dating, casual encounters, and "miscellaneous romance," which includes some alternative lifestyles. There's also a "missed connections" section where you can post a shout-out to that cute girl in the checkout line or the guy you flirted with on the freeway.

Nashville Scene

Nashville Scene is a local newspaper with articles about politics, entertainment, dining, and more. Look in the "classifieds" section of the paper's web site for searchable personal ads. The site links with other local newspapers' personals, so you can read ads from all across the U.S. But, you can also limit your search to people in the Nashville area. Ads for both heterosexual and homosexual dating are welcome, as are ads for alternative lifestyle practices.

Posting a Nashville online dating profile is free and so is sending instant messages. The free membership also lets you reply to a limited number of emails per month. You'll have to pay if you want to initiate contact by email.

Nashville Mojo

Nashville Mojo is part of a larger network of city-oriented sites. It's an online community with lists of local happenings, a small classifieds section, forums, and a database of personal profiles. Mojo is not strictly a dating site. Many members join to be part of the community and to keep abreast of music events and other goings-on in Nashville. Profiles include people who are married, in relationships, or just not looking for a date. But, there are also many singles who would like to meet someone special. Browse through the profiles to see who's looking for love. The site is free, but you'll need to post your own profile before you can do a detailed search.

The Tennessean

The Tennessean is a daily newspaper covering middle Tennessee. The classified ads do have a "dating" link, but clicking on it connects to a national dating site. It's easy to search the site for people who live near you, but it's not specific to Nashville.

Common Sense and Nashville Online Dating

Posting an ad on any online dating site means that you might be recognized by acquaintances or colleagues. Putting yourself out there on a local site might make that even more likely. You need to be comfortable having your neighbors, your boss, or your clients know you're looking for a date online.

Since most of the people using a Nashville online dating site will know the city and surrounding areas, be extra careful about giving out personal information. Until you feel confident that you can trust the person, keep your address vague: "downtown" instead of a specific street. As with any dating situation, be cautious with your phone number and other details. If you're meeting in person, let a friend or family member know where you'll be. And, if you do make a connection and can't wait for marriage, always practice safe sex.