number neighbor
[nuhm-ber ney-ber]
What does number neighbor mean?
A number neighbor is someone who has the same (cell) phone number as you, except the last digit is one lower or higher. Sharing funny or charming text-message exchanges with one’s number neighbor went viral online in August 2019.
Where does number neighbor come from?
Say your (cell) phone number is 123-456-6788. Your number neighbor, typically, would have a number ending -6787 or -6789. Number, of course, refers to phone number (usually of a cell phone), and neighbor, the idea that the two numbers are next to each, like neighbors.
An earlier version of number neighbor was text door neighbor (a pun on next-door neighbor), entered on Urban Dictionary in 2008. Sharing posts of text-message exchanges on social media got some attention in 2016.
The term number neighbor was entered on Urban Dictionary in 2009, but the trend of texting one’s number neighbor and sharing screenshots of the results went viral in early late July, early August 2019.
This happened after Twitter user @ryanlavalleee texted his number neighbor and posted the aftermath (the “neighbor” wasn’t too keen on getting to know the tweeter).
https://twitter.com/ryanlavalleee/status/1156321552079736833
Still, @ryanlavalleee’s tweet went viral—and started a trend.
https://twitter.com/MikeyMcD50/status/1157118475724349441
Examples of number neighbor
My number neighbor didn’t reply but neither do my friends so can’t say I’m not used to this type of behavior!!!
Apparently I texted my number neighbor my selfie before...a year ago with no explanation 😂😂😂😂😂
Who uses number neighbor?
Number neighbor is mainly used in the context of the trend of texting one’s number neighbor and sharing the results online. The activity is generally meant to be fun.
Some of the results have been very positive, friendly, and wholesome experiences.
My number neighbor is going through it 😞 pic.twitter.com/vXHKLoLjL7
— FAZE RAIN (@FaZe_Rain) August 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/cgracedelarosa/status/1157790871200440322
Other times, the number neighbor conversation has been negative, prompting confusion, irritation, and creepy advances.
https://twitter.com/reidjmarshburn/status/1157498055349981185
https://twitter.com/youngkaileaa/status/1157298706158256129
As is common with internet trends, number neighbor inspired many write-ups in popular media—and inspired a lot of humor online, with people making various relationship and friendship jokes, especially about anxiously awaiting validation by getting a text from their number neighbor.
haven’t texted my number neighbor yet bc i can’t even reply to my own family and friends 😪
— crygayby (@felirich_) August 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/jpkoopman12/status/1158420685812666369
Texting all my ex’s “Hey number neighbor” so I can get a response 😈 pic.twitter.com/vDa4oalhtH
— Ny 😅⃤🧌 (@JustNy) August 6, 2019
NOTE
This is not meant to be a formal definition of number neighbor like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of number neighbor that will help our users expand their word mastery.
