what does “67” mean and why is it cringe when a parent says it?

“67” (say it “six-seven,” not “soixante-sept”) is a Gen Alpha meme whose whole joke is that it has no fixed meaning — it’s a nonsense interjection you shout, often with a palms-up, hands-bobbing gesture. It spread worldwide so fast in 2025 that Dictionary.com named it Word of the Year. Like most internet brainrot, it’s also self-destructing: the instant a parent uses it, kids declare it dead. Treat it as throwaway slang that may already feel dated.

The craze is usually traced to the song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla, then supercharged by viral TikToks of basketball players (notably LaMelo Ball, listed at 6 ft 7 in) and a child nicknamed the “67 Kid.” In the clip the daughter does the bit, then cringes when Papa runs with it — “une amende de 67 claquettes” — and rules it over: “le 67 c’est dépassé, plus personne dit ça.” Note the French speakers read it as “soixante-sept,” the literal numbers rather than the meme’s “six-seven.”