Mating
The New 6-7 Dating Trend Has Clear Meaning
Here's the good, bad, and ugly of 6-7 dating.
Posted February 7, 2026 Reviewed by Lybi Ma
Key points
- The 6-7 dating trend has clearly meaning and is different from 6-7 phrase that went viral last year.
- It suggests that you should pursue someone who rates a 6 or 7 in hotness and excitement rather than a 10.
- This trend does emphasize the importance of reliability and emotional availability but oversimplifies people.
- Instead of forgoing 10s, consider re-defining in different ways a person might qualify as a 10 for you.
You may have heard about the use of the numbers 6-7 that went viral last year, where people said the phrase with ambiguity or no real meaning. Now, a 6-7 trend that's specific to dating is circulating on TikTok, Instagram, and probably all the social media platforms. This 6-7 dating trend, by contrast, has a very clear meaning, and you may not like it if your significant other is following this trend.
The meaning of this trend: Rather than showing interest in someone you might consider a 10 out of 10 in attractiveness and excitement, you instead pursue someone who falls in the 6 to 7 range. The thought is that the lower-scoring person will be more stable, dependable, appreciative, and emotionally available. It's basically akin to favoring the more reliable car, outfit, or whatever, rather than the high-end luxury item that may get some oohs and ahhs from other people but at the same time bring some oohs and ahhs to you in a different bad way.
Going for a less exciting person may seem like the safer thing to do. But wait until you tell your significant other, "Honey, you are definitely a 6 to 7 in my book." Yeah, you may get at least 6-7 choice words in response. Following this dating trend too literally does have its perils. But let's take a look at the potential good about this trend before we examine the bad and the ugly.
The Positives of the 6-7 Dating Trend
One positive thing this trend might do is reset a person's expectations as to what a good relationship should look like. It's unrealistic to expect your partner to look hot all the time. It's unrealistic to expect to always feel butterflies in your stomach, unless you have some kind of gastritis. Wanting to feel excited all the time can make you gravitate towards drama-filled people and relationships, which isn't good in the long run. Instead, seeking something comfortable may be a better goal.
This trend could also help people look deeper for the right match, past all that superficial looks and false confidence. Very early on in dating, you don't tend to hear people say, "OMG, that woman looks so freaking emotionally available in that dress." Or, "That six-pack of dependability on him makes me drool." But in the longer run, such characteristics can be more pivotal in determining whether a relationship can go the distance.
The Negatives of the 6-7 Dating Trend
All that said, the biggest problem and oversimplification of the 6-7 dating trend is that it presents people as "either-or" propositions. They're either hot or dependable, very attractive or emotionally available, get you very excited or are stable. It suggests that people behave well only because they are not desirable enough to get away with bad behavior—that everyone would act like a bleep-hole if they could.
The added implication might be that people who are "less attractive" will always be easier to deal with, because they have fewer dating options. It kind of smacks of the Shrekking trend, where people are deliberately dating down to get partners who are more appreciative of them. It's also reminiscent of that 1962 Jimmy Soul song: "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, never make a pretty woman your wife, so for my personal point of view, get an ugly girl to marry you."
Yeah, dating someone you don't consider that attractive could get ugly quite quickly. The other person can feel your lack of excitement and build up resentment over time. At the same time, you could get resentful if you somehow feel that you could do better.
6-7 Things to Do Instead of Dating a 6-7
The trouble with many of these dating trends is that they oversimplify dating. They suggest that there's some kind of formula to follow to get what and who you want. Ultimately, dating is about finding the right mutual fit for you, where both of you view each other as 10s or pretty darn close to that. Maybe instead of going lower, consider the following 6-7 ways of redefining what is meant by a 10:
- Understand that physical attractiveness is subjective and based on what you are used to seeing: The people, TV, advertising, and other things around you can program what you find appealing.
- Attractiveness can change as you get to know someone: That hot person may not seem quite so hot after you realize that he or she can't spell hot.
- Attractiveness can change as that person gets to know you: Attractiveness can be closely linked to confidence. Once the other person feels more comfortable with you, he or she may act more confidently.
- Attractiveness can change with the setting and circumstances: Only after you've seen a person in different situations can you really tell how attractive he or she may be to you.
- Attractiveness can change with age: Here's a news flash. People age. Looks change.
- Don't worry about what other people find attractive: When you are young and immature, you often care far too much about what others think about your significant other.
- In the long run, what's inside the person will drive attraction: View attractiveness from an inside-out perspective.
You may not want to abandon pursuing someone who may be truly a 10 in your book. Just fight the "ten"-dency to emphasize the things that are not right for you and to think that you somehow know someone before you really do.
