What “City Boy” Means on TikTok and the Popular Show It Comes From

If you have a teen son (or sons) or spend any time on TikTok, or maybe you’re a young adult yourself, there’s a good chance you’ve been hearing the phrase “city boy” thrown around lately. It’s not actually new, though, as the phrase comes from a very popular show, but it’s recently reemerged and is making the rounds on TikTok.

While we don’t expect it to stick around for too long, seeing how phrases like 6-7 and other viral terms blew up and then fizzled, “city boy” has gone viral enough to confuse a lot of people, since not many know what it actually means or where it comes from. Don’t worry, though, like always, we’ve got you covered with the meaning behind it, so you can stop scrolling through endless comments trying to figure it out yourself.

The viral phrase “city boy,” which started making the rounds on TikTok at the beginning of January 2026, originates from a scene in Gravity Falls Season 1, Episode 3, titled “Headhunters,” which aired in 2012. In the scene, Deputy Durland yells “city boy, city boy” at Dipper after he suggests he can help solve the mystery of Wax Stan’s murder.

Since Dipper is from the city, the officer uses the term to mock him, implying that someone from the big city can’t handle a local crime of this nature. If you haven’t seen Gravity Falls, which many in the younger generation may not have, since it ran from 2012 to 2016, now you know where it comes from.

With that out of the way, let’s get into the meaning. “City boy” can actually have two meanings, so you’ll need to consider the context in which it’s being used to know which one applies. If someone is yelling “city boy” at a person or in a situation, it might mean they’re mocking that person, or, in a group scenario, calling out one of the people involved.

That’s how it’s used in Gravity Falls and how it’s also being used on TikTok. But it also has another meaning, because isn’t that how all random viral phrases on TikTok work?

You might see “city boy” used in a slightly different way on TikTok, though the phrase still traces back to its origin in Gravity Falls. If someone shares a clip of the officer yelling “city boy, city boy” in a video, or uses the phrase in the same way, it could mean they’re calling themselves out for focusing on making money and living their best life, rather than getting caught up in relationships or girls.

According to Urban Dictionary, a “city boy” is defined as “a male who is living his very best life and chasing the bag at all times without letting Hot Girls or any female get in the way.”

Essentially, someone calling themselves or someone else a city boy might be hinting that their focus right now isn’t on the ladies, it’s on the bag, making money, and living life on their terms and to the fullest. They don’t care about feelings or girls; it’s all about chasing their dreams and securing the green.