The Most Popular Slang Word the Year You Were Born

It seems like the kids these days are speaking in a language all their own. Words like ‘yeet” and ‘fomo’ seem Greek to those of us above the age of 30 while today’s youth are eating it all up. But, it wasn’t that long ago that we had our very own language that we used with our own friends that had our parent’s scratching their heads. As a matter of fact, each generation has had its very own version of slang that—unless we were there—we wouldn’t understand what they were trying to tell us.

So, we started thinking… What was the popular slang back in the day and was was it all supposed to mean? For example, the term ‘Mickey Mouse’ was made popular in the 60s, but instead of describing everyone’s favorite lovable mouse, it actually described the antics of one of his best pals, Goofy. The slang ‘guilt trip’ is still widely used today, but originated in the 70s. Some slang, however, is pretty self-explanatory such as ‘beat box’ from the 80s. And did you know that if you wanted to say something was super amazingly awesome, the term ‘da bomb’ was the appropriate way to say it and look cool in the 90s?

So of course, we did some research and we found the most popular slang term for each year starting in 1960 all the way through the year 2000! Read on to see which slang term was most popular the year you were born or which slang was ‘on and poppin’ while you were a teenager!

2000

Whassup? – A very loud and (mostly annoying) greeting of a friend

1999

Bling – Anything shiny on one’s person, like jewelry or gems on a dress

1998

Phat – Awesome, cool

1997

Jiggy – excited, stylish, active, energetic

1996

Whatever – whatever you say, I don’t care what you say, or whatever will be will be.

1995

As If – Not possible

1994

Benjamins – refers to $100 bills

1993

Da Bomb – When something is fantastic or awesome

1992

Not! – makes a statement sarcastic or untrue

1991

Tighty Whiteys – male tightfitting underwear briefs

1990

Kewl – Just an alternative spelling of the original word

1989

Trash Talk – taunting or boastful comments between opponents

1988

F-bomb – Specifically refers to the cuss word that starts with an F—So called because of its ability to shock

1987

Couch Surfing – sitting around and watching television all day

1986

Studmuffin – a handsome man

1985

Radness – the state of being rad (awesome)

1984

Major – described people and things with enthusiasm

1983

Beat Box – first described the electronic drum machines that were embraced in 80s music, and then used to describe replicating the sounds of instruments with one’s mouth

1982

Buff – describing an attractive male physique

1981

Chill Pill – as in take one, man—to calm down

1980

Frizzy – refers to hair that frizzes rather than cooperates

1979

Nostalgia-Fest – as boomers get older so does their desire to look backward

1978

Pig-Out – a feast of food, usually junk food

1977

Brewski – beer

1976

Hardball – business jargon, describes a particularly aggressive form of negotiation

1975

Detox –this one has two meanings– detox juices and cleanses that splashed onto the California health scene earlier that year, and also the increased need for alcohol and drug addiction treatment