I was presenting to a local group of tween girls at an afterschool STEM program back in 2024. The room was buzzing with excitement as they discussed coding projects, debated Hogwarts houses, and shared their favorite Taylor Swift lyrics. Yet when I asked if they considered themselves nerdy or geeky, the response was quick and unanimous: Absolutely not.
The irony was palpable. These students were voluntarily spending their time diving deep into STEM-related projects, and simultaneously rejected a label that describes the same interests they're passionate about.
What does it say about our culture when even kids immersed in traditionally "nerdy" activities still see the term as an insult to dodge rather than a badge to wear with pride?
The Surprising Origins of "Nerd": From Dr. Seuss to Detroit Slang
To understand how we got here, let's look at where the word "nerd" came from. If you didn’t know (because we didn’t), the first documented use of the word “nerd” came from Dr. Seuss’ book, If I Ran the Zoo, which was published in 19501.
And then, just to show them, I'll sail to Ka-troo
And bring back an It-kutch, a Preep and a Proo,
A Nerkle, a Nerd, and a Seersucker, too!
Not too long after, Newsweek ran an article about slang words and also included the term “nerd” in it1.
"In Detroit, someone who once would be called a drip or a square is now, regrettably, a nerd, or in less severe cases, a scurve."
The word was originally meant to be derogatory and to apply to a stereotype of intellectuals who were seen as shy, quirky or pedantic2. (Sounds like a bunch of etymology nerds came up with that definition, if you ask me! #Sarcasm)
How Negative “Nerdy” Stereotypes Still Persist
Don’t get me wrong… I’m sure we can all remember a time when we did not want to be called a nerd. But we’ve since reclaimed it, right? (Aireen and I are using it as our company name, and in our book series, so obviously we love the term!)
Pushing my own, personal bias out of the way, I recognize our culture as a whole still uses it in a derogatory way. Data nerd. Tech nerd. Book nerd. Lego nerd. While I find appreciation in those labels, mainstream media and social platforms still often perpetuate harmful stereotypes. You'll still see "nerd" being used as shorthand for someone who needs a social makeover to become more acceptable. (The movie “She’s All That” led me to believe that to be cool, I had to become a totally different person.)
This lingering stigma has real consequences. When those tween girls rejected the "nerd" label during my presentation, they weren't rejecting their love of science or technology – they were distancing themselves from the social baggage the word still carries.
We Want to Help Make “Nerd” A Better Word
So how do we continue pushing "nerd" toward being universally recognized as the badge of honor it should be? Here’s how we can help change the narrative:
1. Celebrate the whole person
Being a nerd isn't about fitting into a stereotype – it's about passionate engagement with your interests, whatever they may be. A diehard "book nerd" might be the same person her friends go to for makeup tips.
2. Challenge the narrative
When we hear "nerd" being used dismissively, we can gently push back. Ask questions like, "What makes someone a nerd?" or "Is being deeply interested in something really a bad thing?"
3. Create inclusive spaces
That's exactly what we're doing with Nerdy & Girly, and why we’re writing our book series. Our goal is to show young nerdy girlies that their interests – whether they're traditionally "nerdy" or not – are valid and valuable. We're demonstrating that you can be both nerdy AND girly, both smart AND social, both passionate AND cool.
4. Lead by example
By proudly wearing our nerd badge and succeeding in our pursuits, we’re hoping to show the next generation (and our own kiddos) that embracing their interests is a strength, not a weakness.
The journey of reclaiming "nerd" will likely be cyclical with each generation, but we're making progress. Every time a young person sees someone they admire embrace their nerdy side, every time a "nerd" breaks stereotypes, and every time we celebrate passion and curiosity instead of mocking it, we move closer to a world where no one feels they have to choose between being themselves and being accepted.
To those girls in that STEM program, and to everyone else:
Yes, you can be a nerd.
Yes, you can be cool.
And yes, very often, they're one and the same thing.
