What does 67 mean?

If you’re a parent of a tween or teen, you’ve probably heard them utter the phrase “67,” (pronounced “six-seven”) accompanied by its hand gesture: moving one’s hands up and down with an alternating, cantilever motion, in the classic “either, or” tradition. 

Confused? You’re not alone. Parents, teachers, and adults alike are collectively scratching their heads, trying to decipher the meaning of 67, the latest trend taking over social media.

In fact, the trend has become so popular that Dictionary.com has deemed 67 the word of the year, while acknowledging that “we’re all still trying to figure out exactly what it means.” 

So if you’re a perplexed parent, here’s everything you need to know about 67.

Where did 67 come from?

There’s some debate on the origins of 67. According to The New York Times, some have traced the trend back to a song by the rapper Skrilla called Doot Doot (67). 

Others associate the trend with NBA player LaMelo Ball, who is six-foot-seven. But, according to The Athletic, 67 could also originate from Taylen “TK” Kinney, a high school basketball player and influencer. 

Either way, the origin of 67 is just as murky as its meaning.

So what does 67 mean?

So here’s the thing—67 doesn’t really mean anything. And that might be part of its appeal.

“There’s not really a meaning behind 67,” Ashlyn Sumpter, 10, told The New York Times. “I would just use it randomly.”

Dylan Goodman, 16, told The New York Times that 67 was basically an inside joke—“that gets funnier with each grown-up who tries and fails to understand it.”

She said, “No offense to adults, but I think they always want to know what’s going on.”

As The New York Times pointed out, younger generations have been using slang that’s befuddled their elders for years. 67 is just another trend in a long tradition of meaningless youth slang.

The bottom line on 67

In a nutshell, 67 is nothing to sweat about. While it might be annoying, it’s ultimately meaningless. 

The trend will likely blow over soon—to make way for the next big thing.

Have you heard your kids using 67? Have you tried to get in on the trend? Let us know in the comments!