The trouble is, there are few ways in modern English usage of expressing different degrees of intimacy. At one time we could distinguish between the intimate second person 'thou' and the polite 'you' (and many if not all modern European languages still can.) In terms of titles we could progress from 'Dear Mr Bloggs' to 'Dear Bloggs' and, if things went well, to 'Dear Joe.' Samuel Pepys proudly recorded in his diary the first time the King called him 'Pepys' (instead, presumably, of 'Mr Pepys.') And I remember reading this bit of dialogue:
He. May I call you by your Christian name?
She. If you like.
He. Er.....what is your Christian name?

All these nuances are now lost. We're best mates with everyone the first time we meet them (or the first time they ring us up about PPI).