Generation Alpha Slang: 10 Phrases to Elevate Your Rizz

A fresh generation has arrived: Generation Alpha. While the exact age range for this group remains a topic of discussion (some claim it started in 2012 and ends in 2024, while others believe it began in 2010 with the launch of the iPad), their collective obsession with screens has earned them the nickname Generation Glass.

Even though the oldest members are barely entering their teenage years, these kids are already shaping pop culture, particularly through their unique linguistic trends. While some terms stem from platforms like YouTube and Twitch, many are rooted in queer culture and African American Vernacular English (AAVE), a dialect spoken by Black Americans.

Curious to learn more? Check out YouTube, search for “Sticking out Your GYAT for the Rizzler,” and prepare to decode 10 of the most popular Gen Alpha slang terms in use today.

Skibidi 

If a child asks whether someone is skibidi (pronounced “skee-bee-dee”), they’re likely inquiring if that person is mischievous or untrustworthy. The term originates from a series of YouTube videos by Alexey Gerasimov, known as DaFuq!?Boom!, which feature an army of toilet-headed humans attempting to conquer the world.

Since its debut in early 2023, Skibidi Toilet has exploded in popularity, spawning memes and online games like Skibidi War - Toilets Attack and other variations. While it typically implies something or someone is dubious, its meaning can shift depending on the context, particularly in gaming circles where it’s gained even more traction. You might need to brace yourself to ask a tech-savvy kid for clarification.

Rizz

Named Oxford’s Word of the Year in 2023, rizz—short for charisma—refers to “style, charm, or allure” or “the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner.”

While Gen Alpha has embraced rizz, Gen Z is the generation that truly brought it to life. Twitch streamer Kai Cenat, who helped popularize the term around 2021, explained in a 2023 interview with Complex that it “started with me and my friends ... one person said it, then another, and then I used it on my Twitch.” Contrary to popular belief, Cenat clarified that it wasn’t shorthand for charisma but simply meant ‘game.’

The term also has its variations. A rizzler refers to someone who is likable or exceptionally charming, while to rizz up means “to flirt or engage in playful banter with someone.”

Fanum Tax

Did a friend just snatch a fry from your plate? That’s the Fanum tax in action. Similar to rizz, this phrase gained traction on Twitch after streamer Fanum (a member of Any Means Possible, Cenat’s influencer group) started “taxing” his friends by taking bites of their food during live streams. Though it might seem rude, Fanum insists it’s not about stealing—it’s about “sharing with your friends.”

GYAT

Before diving in, let’s clarify how to pronounce GYAT to avoid sounding skibidi in front of the Generation Glass crowd. The term sounds like “squat” or “caught” and stands for Girl Your Ass Thicc, though it’s also used as shorthand for goddamn. Sometimes, it’s spelled with extra t’s, like gyatt. If someone uses it toward you, it’s likely a compliment about your physique or an expression of excitement, though you’re free to interpret it as you wish.

Ratio’d

Cap and No Cap

Saying someone is capping implies they’re lying or exaggerating, while adding no cap after a statement means they’re being completely honest.

These terms, though popularized by Gen Z, trace back to the late 19th century. Green’s Dictionary of Slang defines capping as the “act of deceiving someone in a confidence game.” Dictionary.com highlights that by 1900, it became part of AAVE, meaning “to brag, exaggerate, or lie.”

By the 1980s, cap/no cap entered hip-hop culture through artists like Too Short and Willie D. Its popularity surged with tracks like “Just in Case” by Chief Keef and Gino Marley, as well as Young Thug and Future’s 2017 hit, “No Cap.”

Goated

Most people know GOAT stands for greatest of all time, a title reserved for legendary athletes like Serena Williams, Simone Biles, or LeBron James, who have redefined excellence in their fields. Generation Alpha has turned it into a verb, so when something is goated, it’s considered the absolute best.

Big Yikes

Big yikes is exactly what it sounds like: a phrase used to describe something awkward, cringeworthy, or downright embarrassing. Dating back to around 2010, it’s also part of Millennial slang (which might be its own kind of big yikes for Gen Alpha). Still, the younger generation has embraced and kept it alive.

Sigma Male

If you’ve spent time on TikTok, you’ve likely encountered the term sigma males. This label describes a self-sufficient, independent individual who stands apart from the crowd, distinct from the alpha (the “most dominant or assertive man in a group,” as defined by Dictionary.com) or the beta (a man perceived as “submissive or unremarkable”). The sigma male simply does his own thing with confidence.

While the idea may sound appealing, it has faced criticism from some, who argue it promotes toxic masculinity and point to its connection with Patrick Bateman, the main character in American Psycho. Despite this, some Gen Alpha kids have embraced the concept, especially online.

It’s Giving

The expression it's giving captures the energy or aura someone exudes. While Gen Alpha has popularized this term, its origins trace back to the 1980s in New York City’s drag ballroom culture.