Meaning
What does Himbo mean?
“Himbo” is a combination of the words “him” and “bimbo”.
A bimbo is known as a woman who is very attractive and glamorous, but also very dumb and airheaded. A bimbo scores high on looks but low on intelligence.
Hence, a “himbo” is the male version of a bimbo. A good looking, but vacuous man.
A himbo is known to be tall, strong, and have nice facial features. Although he might not be very clever, he is usually very nice and friendly. He might even be completely oblivious of his attractiveness.
Origin
What's the origin of Himbo?
According to many dictionaries, the word “himbo” was first used in 1988.
Before 88’, a bimbo could be both a male and a female, but it was still most often used about women. And from there came the need for a similar word about men.
Spread & Usage
How did Himbo spread?
In pop culture, many big, attractive male actors has gotten the name thrown after them, with various reactions.
Keanu Reeves and Tom Selleck greatly enjoyed the term, however, Sylvester Stallone has long been fighting against the fake connection indicating that being “hot and beefy” is synonymous to being dumb.
Just as bimbo is a negatively loaded word for women, himbo can be an insult for men.
External resources
- Urban Dictionary – Himbo
- GQ – Bimbos with Balls! The Rise of the Himbo