Dating in 2025: Hot rodents, black cats, refusing to settle
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Dating in 2025 will be defined by sober, honest, real-life experiences.
What they're saying: "Singles are embracing intentionality in their dating lives — being upfront about what they want and refusing to settle," Tinder's chief marketing officer Melissa Hobley says.
What defined relationships in 2024, according to Tinder:
- Bio mentions: Some of the fastest growing bio mentions were pickleball (+148%), freak (+118%), deserve (+95%) and backpack (+87%)
- Loud looking: People are ditching vague descriptions about what they desire and getting more specific, i.e., the "I'm looking for a guy in finance" trend.
- Astrology: The most attractive signs in Tinder bios were Virgo, Gemini and Leo. Forty-three percent of singles surveyed said predictions using astrology would likely influence who they date in 2025.
- Travel: Users traveled to an average of four cities
- AI: Sixty-eight percent of singles surveyed said they would like to use an AI feature to help select photos for their profiles.
- Love languages: The most attractive love languages were acts of service, words of affirmation and receiving gifts. Also, the most common "love style" used in a Tinder bio was "time together."
Fun facts: "Timeless" by The Weeknd and Playboi Carti, was the No. 1 song on Tinder profiles. Other popular artists included Kendrick Lamar, Zach Bryan, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan.
- Also, on average, 52 million GIFs are sent weekly and the most popular emojis used were ♂, 😉 and ❤.
What will define relationships in 2025:
What's next: Tinder predicts these to be the ideal partner types: the "golden retriever" (enthusiastic and energetic), the "cinnamon roll" (sweet and kind) and the "partner in finance."
More predictions:
- Deal breakers: Bad hygiene, rudeness and talking too much about exes will be the biggest no-nos.
- Dry dating: 39% of surveyed singles say they will prioritize sober dates.
- "I'm looking for": 21% of users surveyed said they were looking for a "hot rodent" (unconventionally attractive) boyfriend in 2025 and 23% are looking for a "black cat" (introverted, mysterious) girlfriend.
- Outdoor dating: 39% of singles are planning to make outdoor activities their first date.
The big picture: "While last year was focused on 'dating for the plot' and casually exploring, this year, singles are stepping up, leading with purpose, and making their dating journeys truly their own," Hobley says.
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