What Does 6-7 Mean? The Viral Slang Phenomenon Explained
Introduction: The Rise of a Meaningless Phenomenon
If you’ve spent any time around children or teenagers recently, you’ve likely encountered a peculiar phrase: ‘6-7’. This Internet meme and slang term emerged in 2025 on TikTok and Instagram Reels, quickly spreading across schools and social media platforms. Dictionary.com named it ‘word of the year’ in October 2025, whilst Merriam-Webster called it ‘the hit Gen Alpha slang term of 2025’. Understanding this phenomenon offers insight into how modern youth culture develops and spreads in the digital age.
Origins and Cultural Roots
The phrase originated from the song ‘Doot Doot (6 7)’ by Skrilla, which became popular in video edits featuring professional basketball players, especially LaMelo Ball, who is listed at 6 ft 7 in tall. The song was unofficially released in December 2024 and officially released on February 7, 2025. Taylen Kinney, a high school basketball prospect at Overtime Elite, became strongly associated with the phrase after a viral clip of him ranking a Starbucks drink by saying ‘six, seven’ went viral, earning him the nickname ‘Mr. 6-7’.
What Does It Actually Mean?
The term has no fixed meaning. Some use it like it means ‘either or’, with a hand gesture where they place their palms up and move them alternately up and down. However, it basically means nothing. Skrilla himself stated, ‘I never put an actual meaning on it, and I still would not want to’. The beauty and frustration of ‘6-7’ lies precisely in its ambiguity.
Social and Cultural Significance
Use of ‘6-7’ connects insiders – young people – through shared understanding, building a community of children and adolescents that is set off from the world of adults, allowing young people to express independence from older generations whilst building solidarity amongst themselves. Jill Hogan, assistant teaching professor of psychology at Siena University, calls the use of 6-7 ‘coded kid language’, noting that knowing the phrase separates the ‘cool’ insiders from outsiders.
Impact on Schools and Society
6-7’s identity as a slang term has allowed it to spread in offline contexts, especially in schools, with some banning its use due to disruption in classrooms. Teachers report it’s ‘literally every other word out of their mouth’, progressively becoming more rampant as students spend time together. In December 2025, Google introduced an Easter egg where typing ‘6-7′, ’67’, or ‘6 7’ causes a user’s screen to shake up and down, mimicking the gesture associated with the meme.
Conclusion: A Passing Trend or Cultural Marker?
Because ‘6-7’ seems to be a way of being silly, playing and sometimes acting in ways that adults find disruptive, experts don’t think it will last very long. 6-7 is likely destined for the slang graveyard soon, now that adults are talking about it so much. Nevertheless, ‘6-7’ represents more than nonsense—it’s a window into how Generation Alpha communicates, builds community, and asserts independence in an increasingly digital world. For parents and educators, understanding these trends isn’t about controlling them, but recognizing the fundamental human need for belonging and shared identity amongst young people.