Generation Alpha has embraced the slang “6-7” with an intensity that has taken over social media, schoolyards, and everyday chatter. The phrase, declared Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year, has surged in searches since mid-2025, rising more than sixfold without any sign of slowing down.
While today’s kids use it as a catchy chant or meme, some are digging into whether the expression has roots reaching back to medieval times.
David Marcus of Fox News Digital says he cracked the mystery after hearing his teen explain the phrase. He connects “6-7” to Hazard, an early dice game from the 1300s that eventually evolved into modern-day craps. In that game, players shouted out the number they hoped to roll. While results like five, eight, and nine were more common, six and seven carried lower odds and higher risk, leading gamblers to associate the pair with uncertainty and worry.
Marcus notes that references to “six and seven” appear in works as early as Chaucer and even in Shakespeare’s Richard II, where the line “All is uneven, and everything is left at six and seven” describes confusion and disorder. He argues that the historical link to risk and chaos explains why today’s kids may not grasp the concept’s deeper meaning.
Despite these medieval theories, the current wave of “6-7” actually stems from rapper Skrilla’s track “Doot Doot (6 7),” which references NBA star LaMelo Ball, who stands six feet seven inches tall. The phrase exploded into pop culture through memes and viral videos focused on the Charlotte Hornets player.
From there, “6-7” transformed into a chant used by Gen Alpha: one group shouts “six!” and another responds with “seven!”—often accompanied by a playful juggling hand gesture. For many kids, it’s not about meaning at all but about rhythm, humor, and the shared energy of the moment.
So if you hear your child yelling “6-7,” don’t overthink it. The chant carries centuries of history, yet today it exists mainly as a fun, chaotic meme—one that shows no signs of fading anytime soon.
