When will 6-7 die? Expert predicts when the Gen Z slang term will no longer be ‘cool’

In a fast-moving world of internet slang and memes, few things have captivated the internet’s heart quite like the mysterious 6-7 phenomenon.

Those two simple digits have exploded across TikTok, Instagram, and classrooms alike, becoming the latest obsession for Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

In fact, the phrase was so impossible to ignore this year that Dictionary.com crowned it the 2025 Word of the Year.

But as with every viral craze, the question remains: how long will it last?

Author and social researcher, specialising in Gen Z trends, Dr Claire Madden, told The Nightly that every fad follows a predictable path: emergence, rapid growth, peak, decline, and eventual obsolescence.

According to Madden, 6-7 is already past its peak.

“It is still very widespread; however, it has reached wide saturation, adult awareness, and some institutional pushback, with some schools banning it because the phrase is being disruptive in class,” she explained.

That pushback recently made headlines when a video of US sheriffs handing out “tickets” to students for saying 6-7 in classrooms went viral.

In the clip, an officer jokingly tells a student, “It is now against the law to use the words ‘six’ and ‘seven’ unless using them in a math problem or someone’s age.”

The students, unfazed, continue shouting the nonsensical phrase while making the accompanying trademark hand gesture, a sign of just how deeply the trend has embedded itself in youth culture.

Madden warns that this kind of interference from adults and schools can sometimes have the opposite effect.

“It really depends on whether Gen Alpha/Gen Z think that the interference is genuinely clever and funny, in which case it can gain some additional momentum.”

Even politicians are saying it. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese referenced the term during a press conference earlier in November, comparing its meaninglessness to the Coalition’s new energy and emissions policy.

“You’ll have young kids stand up and they’ll say, ‘6-7, 6-7’. It’s a big thing. It’s driving teachers crazy. Well, 6-7, what does it mean? It means nothing. A bit like the pamphlet (the Coalition) put out.”

Ironically, Mr Albanese’s attempt to use the phrase might make it lose its edge.

“When adults start trying too hard to use Gen Z/Gen Alpha language to try to seem relevant, it can certainly make it less ‘cool’,” Madden said.

Where did 6-7 come from?

The phrase originates from a 2024 song by Skilla called Doot Doot. In the song, he says 6-7, referring to a street in Philadelphia, 67th Street, a place where his friends once lived.

A snippet of the song went viral on TikTok and other social media sites, sparking the obsession of teens worldwide.

Speaking to the Washington Post, Skrilla said even he struggled to understand how popular the phrase was with teens.

“How they react when I get onstage, when I perform ‘6 7,’ that’s how I know, it’s the energy,” he said.

“They’re getting turnt, there’s more people. It’s quadruple the amount it used to be.”

What does 6-7 mean?

The fun (and equally frustrating) part is that no one really knows. Some say it means “so-so” or “maybe”. Others treat it as a universal reply.

“Part of the appeal of 6-7 is that it doesn’t mean one thing,” Madden explained.

“The ambiguity makes it flexible, so Gen Z and Gen Alpha have been using it in lots of different contexts”.

Will 6-7 ever die?

Like all viral trends, 6-7 won’t last forever, but its cultural footprint could linger. Madden says the phrase is already showing signs of decline, even if it still dominates social feeds and school playgrounds.

“It will eventually become ‘uncool’ and ‘so 2025’, and new trends will take its place,” Madden predicts.

It’s likely that 6-7 will follow the same trajectory as past viral phrases such as “yeet” or “on fleek”, hugely popular for a season, then relegated to nostalgic memes.

“It has made a significant mark and is likely to be one of those trends remembered for years to come by Gen Z and Gen Alpha,” she added.