Nerds predicted to be 2026’s most desirable date

For the singles out there sporting flashy, filtered profiles that exude all kinds of confidence, you are so 2025.

According to Dating.com, people have grown tired of fake people and will be yearning for someone real with substance.

And while a genuine person who is all about embracing their authenticity doesn’t make that individual a nerd, there is something refreshing about the idea of dating a geek.

But being smart is no longer a secondary, “nice to have” quality — it’s becoming a priority for singles looking for love.

The dating site’s new Millennial Intimacy Forecast noted that people are increasingly admitting their attraction to nerds.

Nerd alert!

Nearly three-quarters (71%) of millennials say nerds are sexy.

While men have always appreciated the so-called librarian types, a.k.a. “hot, geeky girls,” the data shows that women are digging that Clark Kent energy, as well.

It found that women are not only on the hunt for attractive, nerdy men, but also gravitating toward them with Google searches for “nerdy men” up 653% and “nerdy guys” up 383% in the past month alone.

Bookworms, Dungeons & Dragons players, and those obsessed with a deep knowledge about niche topics, consider yourselves warned — you could be bombarded with swipes and DMs.

Why now?

It appears millennials who grew up with chaos from financial crises, political volatility and burnout culture, simply want stability, competence, and someone they can rely on.

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They also want someone who can disappear into something they are passionate about instead of going missing from the relationship all together.

“Superficial charm and constant self-display are taking a back burner,” said relationship expert and therapist Jaime Bronstein.

“People are looking for safety, emotional maturity, and stability over emotional flight,” she noted, adding that these days, it’s sincerity and emotional depth that have become desirable traits.

Personality plus

It takes time to get to know someone, and what you see on paper isn’t necessarily how that person is in real life.

Nerds, on the other hand, boast depth, hobbies, and consistency — and perhaps, most importantly, they don’t pretend something is cool. Rather, their interests reflect what they truly care about.

“Bottom line — classic intelligence and emotional intelligence are attractive,” Bronstein noted.

“These are qualities that were long unrewarded by social media clout, yet now are regaining their status in the dating landscape.”