Some of the most entertaining tidbits from Google’s Year in Search were the queries around “Why do kids say…” Like, “Why do kids say sigma?”” “Gyat?” “Ohio?” Recently, Google shared that 2026 searches for Gen Alpha slang like “6-7,” “mogging,” and “chud” have also gone way up. Attempting to decode the slang from a new generation is nothing new. Had our grandparents (or great-grandparents) had Google, they might have searched, “Why do kids say groovy?”
With the school year in full swing, kids’ slang usage will certainly continue to rise, and many of us might also start googling what we hear from youths, too. Using research as well as input from Gen Alpha friends and family of The Everygirl Media Group across the U.S., we’re defining what the sigma the kids are talking about these days. Keep reading for the most searched Gen Alpha slang and what it means.
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Who are Gen Alpha?
Like most generational labels, the starting year varies slightly, but generally, Gen Alpha kids were born between 2010 and 2024. Gen Alpha kids have never known life without iPhones (those came out in 2007), and a lot of their life is lived in front of screens—from laptops in classrooms to gaming with their friends after school. They’re highly connected and socially aware. A large swath of Gen A kids are also in middle school and early high school.
They’re navigating the adolescent social structure, with new words to describe their experiences. And they are heavily influenced by what they see online, whether on TikTok, YouTube, or within their online gaming worlds. Additionally, much of the language described as generational slang for Gen Alpha and previous generations actually originated in African American Vernacular English (AAVE). Concerningly, some newer Gen Alpha slang also originated in the toxic online manosphere.
“They are heavily influenced by what they see online, whether on TikTok, YouTube, or within their online gaming worlds.”
Here are answers to some of the most frequently searched questions about Gen Alpha slang on Google, as well as some common Gen Alpha phrases defined in millennial terms.
The most-searched Gen Alpha slang
Why do kids say “sigma”?
A sigma is an alpha. Confused? Me too. However, Gen A defines a sigma as someone independent, confident, and popular—both in the friendship and romantic sense. It’s also shorthand for describing something as the best or really, really good.
Why do kids say “6-7”?
When asking my own kids to describe this trending phrase, they didn’t know the origin or what it means. According to multiple sources (who are not my kids), “6-7” likely made its way into the middle school halls after TikToks and IG reels featuring basketball player LaMelo Ball, who is 6’ 7” tall, used audio clips from the Skrilla song “Doot Doot (6 7).” So, in my mind, we can equate “6-7” to repeating a ‘90s movie quote or song lyric. Good news is “6-7” is more benign than those other two numbers teens find hilarious…you know the ones. Dictionary.com also named ’67’ the word of the year for 2025. Which could mean it will soon become uncool.
Why do kids say, “cap” and “no cap?”
Something that is “cap” is a lie. So when kids say “no cap,” they’re really saying “for real” or “no lie.” In other words, the sentence “No cap, this is the best sandwich I ever had” actually means “I’m being serious, this is the best sandwich I’ve ever had.” In modern day usage, kids and parents will also hear “cap” used to describe something that is fake or dishonest. For example, “she’s capping” means “she’s lying,” and “that story is cap” means “that story is a lie.”
Like much Gen Alpha slang, “cap” and “no cap” originated from African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and has been historically used to distinguish when someone is lying or telling the truth.
What does “crash out” mean?”
Ever feel like your head is going to explode? Like your temper may get the best of you and lead you to do something pretty stupid? Then you were probably on the verge of a crash out! Though “crashing out” has traditionally been used to describe passing out or falling asleep, the phrase has more recently become Gen Alpha’s slang for a reckless, unexpected emotional breakdown. It can be used as a noun—”I just had a huge crashout”—or a verb—”My friend lost her basketball game and is crashing out.” This Gen Alpha slang describes anything from a minor tantrum to a major emotional episode.
Why do kids say “frame mogging?”
Another term on this list that had me completely lost at first! To understand this slang, you first have to understand the definition of mogging, which means to outperform or outshine someone else. Mogging stems from AMOG—alpha male of the group—which comes from the online manosphere, a community we know to be rife with misogyny. Frame mogging specifically skyrocketed to popularity in 2026 when a photograph of a popular streamer standing beside a larger, more muscular fraternity leader surfaced online. His followers ran to the comments and declared him “brutally frame-mogged” by the larger man. In other words, he got shown up by the frat boy’s larger build and “superior masculinity.” Yeah, I know…
So next time your kids claim someone has been “frame-mogged,” know that they mean one person has outshined another with their larger, more “alpha” build in a photograph or video.
What do “looksmaxxing” and “jestermaxxing” mean?
Looksmaxxing describes the improvement of one’s physical appearance, whether through skincare, makeup, or surgery. The term was catapulted into the mainstream from the manosphere and can take self-improvement to a concerning, somewhat misogynistic extreme. The streamer known as Clavicular—the same man whose viral photo popularized “frame mogging”—is known to have “looksmaxxed” himself through a regimented routine of steroids, surgery, and exercise. While kids are bound to continue throwing this term around, be sure that they aren’t taking any of these online “routines” too seriously—and a good reminder to check what your kids are consuming online.
Jestermaxxing is similar to looksmaxxing, but the focus is on trying to be as funny as possible to impress friends and possible romantic partners. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with wanting to have a pleasant sense of humor, be sure your Gen Alpha kids don’t feel like they constantly need to “perform” or crack a joke to feel validated.
What is “aura farming”?
Kylie Kelce recently covered this Gen Alpha slang on her Not Gonna Lie podcast, as she was prepping to coach her high school field hockey team. In millennial terms, aura farming is someone who is “trying too hard” to be cool or project a certain image. However, it can also be used to describe someone who is effortlessly cool. Context matters with aura farming.
What is “larping”?
If you’re anything like me, you read “larping” and assumed it stood for “Live Action Role Play,” a popular activity where participants dress in costumes and act out fictional events. While the original meaning of the term still holds some weight, “larping” for Gen Alpha has taken on a new meaning. On the internet, the term references someone who is trying to be something they’re not. Maybe they’re pretending to be rich, or pretending to be an expert on something. Maybe it’s on social media, or maybe it’s at school. Whatever the case, for Gen Alpha, someone who “larps” is a liar or a faker.
Hyper-individualism and calling out inauthentic behavior are among the breakout slang trends of 2026. Gen Alpha is all about being confident in oneself and promoting authenticity.
What does “chopped unc” mean?
Short for “uncle,” the slang unc (and “unc status”) basically means you’re acting old or out of touch. The term originated in AAVE, referring to an older male figure or uncle, and has since spread in pop culture and on social media. Chopped, on the other hand, means unattractive, ugly, or uncool. So if someone is calling you “chopped unc,” it may be a playful (while slightly insulting) way of saying you’re an older person who lacks style.
To all the millennial parents out there, don’t feel too bad if this term has been thrown around in your household. It doesn’t just apply to you. I’m Gen Z and have been called “chopped unc” by my Gen Alpha younger cousins plenty of times.
What does “chud” mean?
Chud is used to call someone a fool, jerk, or troll. If someone is declared to be a chud, it usually means the person delivering the insult thinks that they’re lazy, boring, rude, or unintelligent. While parents will definitely hear this one circulating around the school hallways, it actually originated in online political discourse as a left-wing insult for someone (usually a man) on the far-right. While the term has grown its wings since then, parents should proceed with caution when they hear this one—there’s certainly room for online harassment and bullying.
What is a “choppleganger?”
Choppelganger refers to a less attractive or worse version of someone or something. You may recognize this one as an altered version of the word doppelgänger: a biologically unrelated lookalike. The term went viral on social media as a way to throw shade at someone who resembles a celebrity or friend, but in a subtly less attractive way. It combines “chopped”—the internet’s term for something ugly or uncool—with doppelgänger.
In millennial terms, think of this one as comparing the name brand of something to its “Great Value” or generic equivalent.
Why do kids say “skibidi toilet”?
My—and many other parents and teachers’—least favorite Gen Alpha slang in 2024 was anything related to Skibidi Toilet, which comes from a low-quality animated YouTube series with, wait for it, over 60 million views (click at your own risk!). To my horror, this disturbing concept even made it to the holiday toy aisle in 2025. Gen Alpha kids know skibidi toilet is brain rot, but that doesn’t mean skibidi hasn’t become part of their vernacular, often combined with other Gen A slang.
Side note: “Brain rot” was named Oxford’s 2024 word of the year—meaning “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging. Also: something characterized as likely to lead to such deterioration.” Skibidi Toilet is the definition of brain rot.
Millennial vs Gen Z vs Gen Alpha slang
As an elder millennial, I’ve been trying to dig back in the archives of my brain to see how pop culture and the media I consumed in the ‘90s shaped my language as a tween and teen. I still say “Holy Schnikes!” like Chris Farley in Tommy Boy and, “Exsqueeze me, baking powder”? from Wayne’s World—so I shouldn’t really hold it against the kids saying “sigma” or “6 7.” I also know there’s a convergence between Gen Z and Gen A when it comes to certain slang, while some are more clearly delineated. For example, Gen Z “slayed,” but they’re not saying “skibidi Ohio”.)
Gen Alpha slang translator
I don’t know about you, but writing this article made me feel pretty unc. If you also feel lost navigating Gen Alpha slang, we’ve got you. Here is a list of translations for some of the most searched Gen Alpha slang for the millennial parents, teachers, and others out there trying to understand the kids these days.
- Actually? = Seriously?
- Alpha Sigma = Cool/Hot guy or girl
- Ate and Left No Crumbs = Really killed it
- Ate/Slayed = Killed it
- Aura = Swag
- Aura farming = Trying too hard
- Baddie = Bad b*tch (confident, stylish, usually a female)
- Based = being unapologetically yourself and confident; expressing a bold and unapologetic opinion
- Bet = OK
- Boyfriend/Girlfriend = Pookie
- Bruh = Bro
- Cap and No Cap = Lie and No Lie
- Chat = Everyone
- Cheugy = uncool, unfashionable; trying too hard to follow trends
- Chopped = Unattractive/not put-together or messed up
- Choppleganger = Less attractive or worse version of someone or something
- Chud = a fool, jerk, or troll; someone who is generally rude or unintelligent
- Clanker = derogatory term for robots, bots, chat, and AI technology
- Clock It = Exposing a hidden truth, usually playfully, or agreeing to a point (insert Hailey Bieber’s favorite finger gesture)
- Clock That = Told the truth
- Cook = Won/You’re on fire
- Crash Out = Freak Out
- Crine, son im crine = Man, I’m laughing so hard I’m crying
- Delulu = Delusional/all in your head
- Faa/fah/faah = Shock/dismay/groan over minor inconveniences
- Fanum Tax = Stealing (term from gaming)
- Frame mogging = Outshining/outdoing someone else in a photograph or video (especially in physical appearance)
- Gas = Hype up
- Girly Pop = BFF/Bestie
- Glazing = Showering someone with excessive praise
- Gyatt = Baby got back
- Huzz = previously derogatory for a group of girls; for Gen Alpha, slangy way to refer to someone’s boo, bae, or crush
- IGTG = BRB (in text/chat/gaming)
- Jestermaxxing = Trying to be as funny as possible to impress friends and romantic partners
- Larping = Pretending to be someone or something that you’re not
- Looksmaxxing = Improving one’s physical appearance through skincare, exercise, surgery, etc.
- Lowkey/Low-Key = Toned down/relaxed
- Mewing gesture = Talk to the Hand
- Mid = Meh
- Mog = Outshining/outclass someone (especially in physical appearance)
- Quiet on the Creek = Keep a secret or keep your mouth shut
- Rage-baiting = Trolling
- Rizz = He’s Got Game (Charisma)
- Selling/Sold = Doing badly/loser
- Ship = Support going out with someone (romantically)
- Sigma = Cool
- Skibidi Ohio Rizzler = Poser
- Sucks/Weird = Ohio
- Sus = Sketchy
- SYBAU = STFU (in text/chat)
- That’s Fire = On point
- Touch Grass = Go outside
- Unc = Old/Out of touch
- You the Birthday = You’re the center of attention/life of the party
I do have some good news for my fellow millennials: OMG is still OMG!
Does Gen Alpha slang have a shorter lifespan?
Also worth noting is that because of how quickly slang spreads through social media, terms can also become quickly overused. For example, according to my 12-year-old, no one says “bussin” anymore—a term that also originated in AAVE, gained widespread use in 2021 thanks to social media, and was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2023. Skibidi Toilet also seems to be joining the ranks of retired slang soon. As my tween would say, “clock it.”
Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor
Kathy Sisson has been a key contributor in the editorial parenting space for eight years, not only as a full-time editor at The Everymom but previously as a freelance writer for top parenting sites, including Scary Mommy, Motherly, Parent Co., and more. As an editor at The Everymom, she has produced hundreds of articles on a range of parenting topics, reviewed dozens of family-focused products, interviewed leading experts in the children and parenting world, and created viral parenting social media content. A mom of two, she is committed to sharing the honest, helpful, and often humorous stories of motherhood.
Rebecca Smith, Editorial Assistant
As an Editorial Assistant, Rebecca works with The Everymom team on updating existing content, photo sourcing, pitching original articles, and more. She’s passionate about creating authentic and diverse online content and is thrilled to help women of all ages feel represented.
