BBM

Brains by Mattel

BBM is a trendy way of calling someone dense or childish. The slang implies that a person’s intellect is as plastic as it could be, supposedly manufactured by a major toy-making company, Mattel.

Founded in 1945, Mattel has become a giant in the toy industry, producing well-loved brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, and Thomas & Friends. The phrase “brains by Mattel” gained traction in the 90s, and as internet and text messaging use exploded in the late 90s and early 2000s, BBM became an easily recognizable abbreviation of the phrase.

Mostly, it’s the adults from the millennial generation and older who frequently use this acronym. They may use it in a text or an online post to call out silly behavior. Sometimes, they might prefer to use the extended acronym BBFBBM, short for “body by Fisher, brains by Mattel,” to mock good-looking people who aren’t exactly bright.

Example for using ‘BBM’ in a conversation

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