kids' '6-7' chant is 400-years-old mystery: Here's every detail you need to know

Generation Alpha nowadays is obsessed with the brain-rotting slang “6-7,” which has also been named Word of the Year by Dictionary.com and is generating buzz on social media and offline.

Dictionary.com described it as the reason behind selecting this slang, “6-7,” shorthand for "six-seven,” because its lexicographers analyzed a large amount of data.

What the results revealed was that searches for "6-7" showed a surprising rise beginning in the summer of 2025.

Since June, those searches have surged more than sixfold, and so far the surge indicates no signs of stopping.

While some are still tracing whether the brain rot slang dates back to the medieval period.

From Dice to Shakespeare: How did "6-7" originate?

It all started when David Marcus, a columnist for Fox News Digital, had suddenly solved the puzzle after listening to his teen explain what “6-7” meant.

He links the term to an old dice game called Hazard at the time, what we now call craps.

He builds up his hypothesis on the assumption that “the first usage of '6-7' dates back to the 1300s, which is about as old as modern English gets."

It referred to a dice game called Hazard that would eventually develop into what we know as craps, Marcus wrote.

He explained further, “In the game (Hazard), a player would call out the number he was trying to shoot for, or make, with two six-sided dice. Five, eight, and nine were the most likely results. Six and seven, gamblers quickly discovered through math or experience, offered lower odds and hence less chance of winning.”

“From then on, six and seven, taken together, became forever associated with risk and worry. It can be found in the works of Chaucer and has marched quite steadily down through the centuries.”

Marcus also connected the phrase to William Shakespeare, citing the line from Richard II: “All is uneven, and everything is left at six and seven.”

He believes it’s logical that today’s kids don’t know what “6-7” really means, given its historical connection to “risk, worry, and confusion.”

The background of “6-7”

The term originated from rapper Skrilla’s song “Doot Doot (6 7),” pointing to a 6-foot, 7-inch basketball player, LaMelo Ball.

The term became an internet sensation after gaining buzz through viral videos and memes that highlight NBA player LaMelo Ball.

“6-7” has since evolved from being just the height of a basketball player to being stripped of all meaning.

The phrase has become a popular call-and-response chant among Generation Alpha, who shout “six!” to prompt an answering cry of “seven!”

There’s also a “juggling” hand gesture that goes along with it.

When people, especially younger ones, are yelling it, they’re not just repeating a meme; they’re shouting a feeling.

So, if you’re a parent and hear your child yelling “6-7,” don’t get confused.

It’s a 400-year-old mystery that even they might not understand.

Instead, just enjoy the vibe with them—this “6-7” craze isn’t ending anytime soon.