What the new ‘rodent men’ dating trend actually is as Hollywood stars get singled out

It's time to do a deep dive into the latest dating trend that has got women claiming it is ‘hot rodent boyfriend summer’.

Everyone has a type on paper, according to the Love Island gods, but it seems as though a whole new category of ‘boyfriend’ is circulating the internet right now.

And it comes in the form of ‘rodent men’, which doesn’t actually sound too appealing at first glance.

But a multitude of Hollywood’s biggest stars are bagging themselves ‘rodent’ boyfriends, so maybe it’s time you started looking for one too?

There has been a long-standing tendency for women to go for men that aren’t what we would call ‘conventionally’ handsome - you know, the Ken dolls of the world.

Instead, it’s time for the rat-like boys to have their time in the spotlight, and women are going crazy for it.

What is a ‘rodent man’?

Basically, the term refers to a whole host of celebrity men who resemble rats, with features such as little pointy faces, small eyes, and sticky-out ears.

Sounds loveable, right?

It’s true that stereotypical ‘good-looking-ness’ is out of the window, and it’s nice to see a society that appreciates all kinds of facial features and celebrates the things that make people unique.

Which celebrities fall under the category?

Sabrina Carpenter has her very own 'rodent boyfriend' in Barry Keoghan, according fans. (Mike Marsland/WireImage)

Some of the most popular rodent-looking celebs that women are fantasising about are - Kieran Culkin, Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist, Jeremy Allen White, Timothée Chalamet, Adam Driver, Barry Keoghan and Matt Healy.

Latest pop sensation, Sabrina Carpenter, started dating Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan in December 2023, and he has since featured in one of her music videos.

The genre of man is also circulating on TikTok, where one user made a video which said: “It’s hot rodent boyfriend summer, but I signed up for that class a long time ago.

“The rat boys have always been around and always the hottest.”

Why do women like ‘rodent boyfriends’?

Timothée Chalamet is giving 'rodent man'... but in a very good way. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for CinemaCon)

A reporter for the New York Times suggested an interesting reason behind why a woman might find these kinds of features attractive in a partner.

Gina Cherelus said: “I think there’s something about them not being stereotypically masculine that might make women feel safe.”

Some have challenged that the trend is a double-standard, as it is still looked upon fondly for women to maintain a certain level of ‘stereotypical’ beauty - such as having the right hair, boobs or dress size.

One person on TikTok said: “How come they don’t have hot rodent girlfriends?”

Well, it’s nice to see a different kind of beauty being championed - after all, it’s nice to encourage people to feel good about being different!