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20 Common Geek Types (& What Makes Them Awesome)

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A comprehensive look at the most common & lovable nerds

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: September 12, 2025 Fact Checked

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“Geek” has a lot of negative connotations, but at the end of the day, a geek is really just someone who knows a lot about something they love. In that way, geeks are actually awesome—we should all be excited to learn and know as much as we can about the things we’re passionate about! Here, we’re going to look at the most common types of geek so that you can figure out which labels you identify closest with.

6 Common Geek Categories

Gamer
Technology nerd
Sci-fi lover
Comic book fan
Pop culture geek
Live Action Roleplayer (LARPer)

1

Gamers

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People who are really into video games are sort of the classic “geek.” Their hobby was considered super uncool until a few years ago. Gamers come in all shapes and sizes, and almost everyone plays games these days, so it’s hard to make any blanket statements about this group. Sub-genres of the Gamer include:
- Multiplayer lovers
- RPG fanatics
- Puzzle gamers
- PC players
- Simulation fanatics
- Chess players

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2

Techies

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Techies are always looking forward to the latest gadget release. They were the early adopters of the Roomba, Google Glass, 3D printer, and Kindle, and they’re always on the look out for the newest cool thing to toy with. Techie subgenres include:
- Apple fanboys/fangirls
- AI/Cryto bros
- Hardware fanatics
- VR nerds

3

Sci-Fi Lovers

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Sci-fi lovers live to get lost in beautifully designed worlds and visions of vibrant futures. Some of them tilt more towards film while others prefer literature, or even video games. Regardless, they’re one of the more iconic geek types out there. Popular variations include:
- Cyberpunk fanatics
- Speculative fiction readers
- Steampunk lovers
- Trekkies

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4

Comic Book Fans

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It’s hard to imagine something more traditionally geeky than hanging out in a comic book shop talking about the latest Batman release. Since so many comic books have been turned into film franchises these days, a lot of people kind of look at comic book readers as purists in a way—a point of pride for many comic book readers. There are:
- Collectors
- Specialists (like DC lovers or Marvel fanboys)
- Indy supporters
- Graphic novel specialists

5

Pop Culture Geeks

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Pop culture geeks are rarely viewed as geeks, but what’s geekier than obsessing over every new viral piece of media that comes out? Pop culture geeks are the first to find the next Game of Thrones phenomenon, the first to be in line for the new Star Wars, and the first to know that The Office spin-off is in production. They’re the cutting edge of geek culture! There are also:
- Fandom geeks (Swifties, for example)
- TV/movie fanatics
- Fashionistas
- Golden Age TV historians

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6

Live Action Roleplaying Gamers (LARPers)

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Roleplayers are a classic type of geek. They’re all about entering a world of their own with their friends by engaging in role-playing games. Little miniature figurines, hand-drawn maps, dice, the whole nine yards! It’s a geeky tradition that goes back decades. Roleplaying fans especially love:
- Dungeons and Dragons
- Pathfinder
- Shadowrun
- Call of Cthulu

7

Anime Fans

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The anime geek is pretty easy to spot. They’re not just into anime—they’re so into anime that they’ve got a manga collection, a huge collection of anime figurines, and they may or may not occasionally drop “senpai” or “kawaii” in casual conversation. Groups include:
- Manga purists
- Weebs
- Gunpla
- Shonen fans
- Otaku
- Light novel readers
- Shojo lovers

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8

Cosplayers

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Cosplayers are a dedicated bunch. They’re always working on the next costume for the upcoming convention. They’re not necessarily super into one type of media, either. It’s not like they only dress up as characters in one show, comic, or movie! For them, it’s all about the costumes and the community. There are:
- Propmasters
- Anime cosplayers
- Historical accuracy nuts
- Photography fanatics/models
- 3D printing crafters
EXPERT TIP

Sparkle
Cosplayer
Sparkle is a Cosplayer and content creator based in New Jersey. She has been cosplaying for several years. Notable cosplays of hers include characters from Arcane, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Delicious in Dungeon, Fairly OddParents, and more. She has over 286K followers on TikTok, 100K subscribers on YouTube, and 34K followers on Instagram. Through her cosplay work, Sparkle seeks to welcome and inspire Black youth in the cosplay community, and to make cosplay spaces more inclusive.

Sparkle
Cosplayer

Meeting people and collaborating on [cosplay] projects is the most fulfilling part. Everyone brings unique skills to the table, and it’s amazing to learn and create together. I love how the cosplay community comes together to have fun and embrace being nerds.

9

Fandom Fanatics

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Fandom fanatics are geeks for one (and only one!) very specific IP (intellectual property). They might also be into other forms of geekdom, but it’s usually incidental. For example, a Final Fantasy fanatic might suddenly get into Magic: The Gathering because of MTG’s new Final Fantasy set! ^{[1]
X
Research source} Popular fandom IPs focus on:
- Harry Potter
- Star Wars
- My Little Pony
- Doctor Who
- Marvel
- Lord of the Rings
- Pokémon
- The Walking Dead
- BTS

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10

Music Geeks

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These geeks have a passion for music that goes well beyond what normal music fans feel. They can recall entire discographies from memory, they have the down-low on the hottest concerts in town, and they’re always discussing their favorite recent tracks. Popular subgenres include:
- Gear heads (i.e. guitar builders)
- Collectors
- Vinyl purists
- Players
- Genre specialists

11

Ren Faire Nerds

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Ren faire is short for “Renaissance Faire.” Renaissance faire culture is somewhat hidden from public view because most Ren faires take place in secluded wooded areas, but the people who frequent them are often super tight and close-knit. Ren faire nerds come in all shapes and sizes. There are:
- History nuts
- Character players
- Costume fanatics
- Actors/actresses
- Casual enjoyers

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12

Board Gamers

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Board games have gotten a lot better than Monopoly, Risk, and Yahtzee. Modern board games are much better designed and, as a result, fetch a much more engaged crowd. Board gamers typically enjoy all kinds of different games, but some of the most popular games with the deepest fandoms include:
- Settlers of Catan
- Pandemic
- Gloomhaven
- Wingspan
- Ticket to Ride
- Splendor

13

Card Game Players

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Affectionately shortened to “TCG” (trading card game), these geeks love collecting and playing a particular card game. Some of these geeks are more about competitive deckbuilding and competition, while others are all about collecting rare cards and appreciating the art. The most popular IPs for card gamers include:
- Magic: The Gathering
- Pokémon
- One Piece
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Digimon
- Flesh and Blood
- Lorcana

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14

Space Lovers

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If someone is always checking in on the latest episode of Startalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson or sharing the latest Mars Rover updates on social media, they’re probably a space lover. These geeks are super into all things interstellar. They may be interested in space on purely scientific grounds, or they could look to the stars as a potential solution for climate change. Whatever the reason, space-loving subgenres of geek include:
- Scientists
- Astronomy photographers
- Stargazers
- Rocket geeks
- Sci-fi enthusiasts

15

Coders

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Coding was something closer to magic in the 80s and 90s, but now that coding has been proliferated and people everywhere have learned how to do it, it’s a whole new world out there. Coders can work together (or totally alone!) to build apps and software that does all kinds of crazy things. Subsections include:
- Ethical hackers
- Cryptographers
- Hobbyists
- Open sourcers
- Game designers
- Web sleuths

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16

Retro Geeks

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Retro geeks are all about appreciating the old days. From cathode-ray TVs to Sega Genesis, they’re the historians of nerdom. Popular retro geek sub-groups include:
- Console collectors
- Arcade addicts
- Emulators
- Lost media hunters
- Vinyl collectors
- VHS collectors

17

Miniatures and Figurine Nerds

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The subgroups that make up this category actually don’t have a lot in common. The only unifying theme here is that they like building and/or collecting stuff. Some of them (like Warhammer players) use miniatures to engage in a game. Others (like Funko Pop fans) just want to collect and admire their items. Subgenres include:
- Warhammer players
- Model train lovers
- Star Wars Miniatures players
- Anime modelers
- Gunpla builders
- Funko Pop fans
- Diagram builders

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18

Chic Geeks

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Chic geeks are a modern phenomenon. As nerdy stuff became acceptable, the chic geeks found a way to make it actively cool. They’re in and out of art galleries, collecting KAWS figurines and Labubus , and rocking retro video game tees like they’re designer. These are the trendy geeks—the ones who take bits of nerd culture and help normalize it for the best. They include:
- Fashionistas
- Designers
- Sneakerheads
- Foodies
- Socialites
- Literati

19

Stats Nerds

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Stats nerds into some kind of data. They enjoy tracking information, reading studies, and conducting informal polls on social media. Other than their love of data, there isn’t a ton uniting the different stat nerds out there. Those groups include:
- Sports fans
- Political analysts
- Poker/Gambling nerds
- Chess/eSports fans

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20

Furries

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This last group gets a special shoutout because they tend to get a bad wrap that they don’t really deserve. Furries are interested in animal characters, and they’ll often create “ fursonas ”---characters based on animals they identify with. Furries are huge on community and inclusion, and they’re one of the less gatekeep-y groups, as well. ^{[2]
X
Research source} Similar groups include:
- Therians
- Otherkin
- Interested in these communities? Check out the conversation here !

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About This Article

Co-authored by:

wikiHow Staff Writer

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure . Eric McClure is an editing fellow at wikiHow where he has been editing, researching, and creating content since 2019. A former educator and poet, his work has appeared in Carcinogenic Poetry, Shot Glass Journal, Prairie Margins, and The Rusty Nail. His digital chapbook, The Internet, was also published in TL;DR Magazine. He was the winner of the Paul Carroll award for outstanding achievement in creative writing in 2014, and he was a featured reader at the Poetry Foundation’s Open Door Reading Series in 2015. Eric holds a BA in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an MEd in secondary education from DePaul University.

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Co-authors: 5

Updated: September 12, 2025

Views: 26

Categories: Nerd Culture

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 26 times.

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