The Generation That Speaks in Memes
Gen Alpha — born roughly between 2010 and 2024 — is the first generation to grow up entirely post-iPad. Their slang isn't borrowed from music or movies; it's borrowed from games, streamers, and meme remix culture. If you're a marketer, parent, or even a millennial trying to keep up, here's your decoder ring.
The Essentials
- Skibidi — A vibe modifier. Can be good or bad depending on tone. "That's skibidi" can be ironic praise or genuine.
- Rizz — Short for charisma. Already crossed over to millennials, which is why Gen Alpha is starting to use it ironically.
- Gyatt — An exclamation of surprise, usually appreciative. Originated on Twitch.
- Sigma — A lone-wolf, self-reliant archetype. Often used ironically about cats, mascots, or oneself.
- Ohio — Adjective meaning weird, broken, or chaotic. "That's so Ohio" has nothing to do with the state.
- Fanum tax — When someone takes a bite of your food. From streamer Fanum.
- Mewing — A face-shaping technique that became a silent "I'm not talking" gesture.
- NPC — Someone behaving robotically or predictably. Mild insult.
- Mid — Mediocre. Still going strong from Gen Z.
Rules of Engagement for Brands
Three rules that will save your brand from cringe:
- Don't stack. Using one term naturally is fine. Stacking three in a sentence ("That rizz is so skibidi, very sigma") instantly outs you as an outsider.
- Tone over vocabulary. Gen Alpha doesn't reward correct usage — they reward the ironic, deadpan delivery the slang originated with.
- Slang has a half-life of 4-6 months. If you saw it on a news segment, it's already over.
"The fastest way to kill a piece of slang is for a brand to use it in a Super Bowl ad. Gen Alpha treats brand adoption as a death certificate." — Linguist Dr. Aisha Mwangi, on the Trendfuncov podcast
What's Next
The next wave will come from AI characters, Roblox influencers, and YouTube short-form creators most adults have never heard of. Watch for "bussin," "delulu," and "pookie" to evolve in unexpected directions. Or don't — and trust that your Gen Alpha-targeting creative partner will tell you which way the wind is blowing.
The Real Takeaway
You don't need to speak Gen Alpha to market to them. You need to respect that they have their own language — and hire people who actually speak it, rather than translating from the outside.