From classrooms to TikTok: How Gen Alpha turned “6–7” into slang

Kathmandu: Early one morning, after finishing his studies, my cousin, Samyog Rai, excitedly walked into the kitchen, where I and my mother were having tea. He said, “Look at me,” and as we turned towards him, he raised his palms, moved them up and down, and said “6–7.” 

We looked puzzled. When I asked what it meant, he simply said he uses it with his friends during break time.  

Later, he explained that during a math class, when the teacher asked students to turn to page 67, some of his classmates quietly said “6–7.” That moment made it clear that the number had taken a different meaning among students. 

Curious about its origin, I searched online and found that the phrase can be linked to American rapper Jemille Edwards, known as Skrilla. His song “Doot Doot (6 7),” released in 2024, is widely believed to have contributed to the slang’s popularity. In 2025, the term began appearing frequently in short video edits featuring basketball players, especially the NBA’s LaMelo Ball, who is 6 feet 7 inches tall. 

The slang was further popularised on social media by TikToker and basketball player Talon Kenny. His signature hand movement — raising and lowering his palm while saying “6–7” — went viral and became especially popular among Gen Alpha, those born between 2014 and 2024.

As the trend spread, many Gen Alpha children began repeating “6–7” whenever they saw the number, often copying the hand gesture at school and at home. According to media reports in the United States, some private schools have discouraged or restricted the use of the slang, citing classroom distractions.

In interviews aired by U.S. television networks, Gen Alpha students have said the term does not carry any specific meaning. Instead, they describe it as a shared code or playful expression used among friends.

Ultimately, “6–7” appears to be just another example of generational slang — much like “ghosting” for Millennials or “rizz” for Gen Z.