The Brief: An eBoy, the male counterpart to the eGirl, is a TikTok-based archetype of a boy with signature emo-inspired style and an extensive online presence.

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To recreate the classic eBoy look yourself, check out our how to be an eBoy style and gift guide.

eBoys, E-Boys, or e-Bois are typically characterized by their emo-influenced fashion sense as well as their online presence. A stereotypical eBoy can be found on Instagram or TikTok wearing skater clothes, nail polish, and a single dangly earing, with his hair parted down the middle. He likely seeks the attention of eGirls.

eBoys and eGirls are a common trope on TikTok. The term can be used as a way to make fun of someone for his goth style and soft boy demeanor, or it can simply be used as a descriptor. It can also be a term of pride or endearment – to many, being an eBoy is a good thing. On TikTok, the hashtag #eboy has over 100 million views and on Instagram, over 38,000 posts have been tagged with the term.

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🥀🖤 . . #aestheticoutfit #aesthetic

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On Reddit and other gaming-centric corners of the internet, the term has a different connotation. In some cases, it describes a gamer boy type who spends most of his time either playing video games, watching Twitch, or commenting on gaming forums. This version of an eBoy archetype is possibly a self-described incel and/or perpetuates attitudes of toxic masculinity that are widespread on many male-dominated corners of the internet.

It’s not always clear what someone is referring to when they use the term eBoy. Context clues can be helpful in determining whether they mean it in a positive or negative way, and which version they are referencing.

On TikTok