Numbers in Text Messaging

Number Abbreviations ("Number Codes")

Using numbers and symbols is a huge part of texting nowadays. Here on Cyber Definitions, we have hundreds of entries that are made up of just numbers or combinations of numbers and letters.

In some cases, the numbers represent the letters they look like (e.g., the number 4 is often used to replace the letter A). However, that is only a small part of the story. In "text speak," numbers are used in lots of imaginative ways.

A number-based word is called a numeronym. Numeronyms are often referred to a "number codes." They can be formed in various ways, such as:

Shortening a word by replacing a sequence of letters with the count of those letters (e.g., i18n for "internationalization" and a11y for "accessibility").
Combining letters and numbers (e.g, K9 for "canine" and W3 for "World Wide Web").
Using numbers to represent letters or words (e.g., 143 for "I love you," 637 for "always and forever," and 5201314 for "I will love you for a lifetime").

Some "number codes" were used long before the digital era. Many of the early numeronyms, like 143 and 637, were written on the envelopes of letters between lovers. They were often a coded message between the sender and the recipient, thought to allow secret expressions of love or passion. numbers in texting

The Most Popular Numbers Used in Text Speak

Here are the most popular "number codes."

***For a complete list of "number codes", visit our numbers search page.***

Numeronym ("Number Code")	Image
<2 <2 means "Not in Love." As <3 means "love," a decrease in numerical value decreases the intensity of the emotion.
<3 <3 means "Love." Because <3 looks like a heart, it is used as a symbol of love.
<4 <4 means "More Than in Love." As <3 means "love," an increase in numerical value also increases the intensity of the emotion.
0 0 means "Loser." A zero is a loser.
10 10 means "Perfect." 10 refers to the top score out of 10 when describing the appearance or desirability of a person.
11:11 11:11 means "Wishing Time." Some people claim that 11:11 (am or pm) is the optimal moment to make a wish, especially if your wish is related to love.
1234 1234 means "I Love You." The use of 1234 to say "I Love You" comes from the following idea: I have 1 thing 2 say: 3 words 4 you (i.e., I love you).
1337 1337 means "Elite." 1337 is used mainly by the gaming community to mean an especially skilled (i.e., elite) player.
143 143 means "I Love You." The number 143 represents the number of letters in each word of the phrase "I love you."
14344 14344 means "I Love You Very Much." The number 14344 represents the number of letters in each word of the phrase "I love you very much."
1437 1437 means "I Love You Forever." The number 1437 represents the number of letters in each word of the phrase "I love you forever."
153 153 means "I Adore You." The number 153 represents the number of letters in each word of the phrase "I adore you."
381 381 means "I Love You." The 3 represents the number of words in the term "I love you," the 8 represents the total number of letters in the term, and the 1 tells us that the term has one meaning.
39 39 means "Thank You." It is based on the Sino-Japanese pronunciation of the numbers 3 and 9.
3Q 3Q means "Thank You." It is based on the Sino-Japanese pronunciation of the number 3 and the letter Q.
4221 4221 means "Forever Together to Love One Another." The number 4221 represents the words (or parts of words) in the phrase "4ever 2gether 2 love 1 one another."
721 721 means "Love You." The number 7 represents the total number of letters in the phrase "love you," the 2 represents the number of words, and the 1 tells us that the term has one meaning.
823 823 means "Thinking of You." The number 823 represents the number of letters in each word of the phrase "thinking of you."
831 831 means "I Love You." The number 3 represents the number of words in the term "I love you," the 8 represents the total number of letters in the term, and the 1 tells us that the term has one meaning.
I<3U I<3U means "I Love You." I<3U represents "I heart (i.e., 'love') you."
K3U K3U means "I Love You." K3U looks like "I<3U," which means "I heart (i.e., 'love') you."