Did you just spend time chatting to an insecure boy on TikTok? You could call them part of the 'pick me girl' phenomenon sweeping the platform.
This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The expression 'pick me boy' means a teenage boy displaying feelings of insecurity, using them to 'gaslight' the girl they are talking to online. It's a viral video trend on TikTok, defining a teenage boy fishing for compliments under the pretense of acting like they think they're ugly.
The 'pick me boy' exhibits depressing behavior, and they claim to have low self-esteem. It's common for 'pick me boys' to use the term 'nice guys finish last.'
Girls find 'pick me boys' irritating, and their whining attitude is usually turn-off, causing the opposite reaction the 'pick me boy' is looking for in the conversation. It's the opposite of the 'pick me girl' video trend on TikTok.
Example Usage
“Shaun reached out to me on TikTok last night, and we started chatting. I had no idea he was such a ‘pick me, boy.’ I can’t stand talking o weak men online. It’s such a turn-off.”
“I was chatting with Kimmy last night, and she called me a ‘pick me, boy.’ When I asked her what that meant, she told me it’s a guy with no self-confidence, and then she hung up.”
“I can’t stand talking with pick me, boys, online. They’re all whining about how they aren’t attractive and that girls don’t like them.”
“A pick me boy is a teenage guy that can’t get laid. He thinks he’s a ‘nice guy,’ but he’s just a whining loser that can’t talk to women.”
“Why is it all pick me boys have a huge chip on their shoulder? They all think they’re ugly and unworthy of being with a pretty girl. What a bunch of losers.”
“I think I would rather gouge my eyes out with my nail file than have a conversation with a 'pick me boy.' They’re so annoying.”
Origin
The expression ‘pick me boy’ originates from the social media platform TikTok and the ‘pick me girl’ trend on the platform. The ‘pick me girl’ trend took off on the social media site in 2020, and it wasn’t long before female users created the ‘pick me boy variant of the expression.
Experts believe the phrase originated from the entertainment mogul Paris Hilton, heiress to the Hilton fortune. Her hot track ‘Stars Are Blind’ didn’t receive the acclaim Paris thought it deserved, leading to the toxic ‘I’m not like other girls’ trope, morphing into the ‘pick me girl’ phenomenon on social media.
The first entry of the expression into the Urban Dictionary was in late February 2021.
Phrases Similar to Pick Me Boy
- N/A.
Phrases Opposite to Pick Me Boy
- Pick me girl.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Pick me boy.
Ways People May Say Pick Me Boy Incorrectly
The term 'pick me boy' refers to a teenage boy with low self-esteem and self-confidence. Using it to describe a confident, arrogant young man is incorrect. The opposite of a 'pick me boy' is a 'pick me girl.' Both display the same characteristics of low self-confidence in their looks and personality.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Pick Me Boy
You can use the phrase 'pick me boy' to describe a teenager with low self-esteem when interacting with the opposite sex. A 'pick me boy' will act timidly in front of women, trying to tell them that they are not like all the other guys and are a 'nice guy.' You can use the phrase to describe boys you find irritating or 'clingy.' Typically, they don't handle rejection very well.
The phrase suits social use and is a trend on the social media platform TikTok. The videos on the 'pick me boy' category feature teenage boys that display low confidence levels and can't believe girls are actually interacting with them. Usually, their lack of confidence is a turn-off, and they experience rejection from the girl.