Fear of the number 666 (hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia)

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is a fear of the number 666. People with this fear may avoid prices, phone numbers, addresses or car registrations containing it, or feel uneasy when it appears by chance. For some, a bill that comes to 6.66 is enough to add or swap an item at the till.

About this phobia

The name is built from the Greek for six hundred and sixty six. The fear comes from the Book of Revelation in the Bible, where 666 is called the number of the beast. It is a superstition rather than a clinical term, and is one of the best-known long words on lists of phobias.

How it shows up

For many people, 666 is just a number with a spooky reputation. With hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, seeing it brings genuine unease, as though something bad is being signalled. A receipt, a house number, a phone number or a car plate can all set it off. The worry may be religious, tied to fear of evil, or more of a superstition that has grown sticky over time.

Common triggers

• Prices or receipts showing 6.66
• Phone numbers, codes or PINs with 666
• Car registrations
• House or flat numbers
• Horror films that use the number
• Dates such as the sixth of June
• Social media posts about bad omens

Where it shows up

• Shops and tills
• Online banking and bills
• Car parks and garages
• Churches and religious events
• Films, games and music
• Hotel rooms and seat numbers

Symptoms

In your body

• Chill or goosebumps
• Racing heart
• Tight chest
• Uneasy stomach
• Restlessness

In your mind

• Sense of evil or bad luck
• Worry about religious meaning
• Thoughts returning to the number

What you might do

• Adding or removing items at the till
• Refusing certain numbers or registrations
• Avoiding horror media
• Rechecking totals and codes

What may cause it

The roots lie in a Bible passage and in the many films, songs and stories that have since used the number as shorthand for evil. People with a strict religious upbringing, or who were frightened by horror films when young, may feel it more strongly. There is no clinical research on it as a separate fear. As with other number fears, avoidance brings brief relief, and each time it works the link between the number and danger gets a little stronger.

How it can affect your life

Usually it is a minor nuisance, but for some it can cause stress at the shops, when choosing a home or car, or during religious events. It may feed wider worry about evil or bad luck. Constant checking can eat up time.

Related fears

• Fear of the number 13 (triskaidekaphobia)
• Fear of the number 17 (heptadekaphobia)
• Fear of the devil (satanophobia)
• Fear of hell (hadephobia)

Things that can help day to day

• Let a total of 6.66 stand once and notice that the day carries on
• Read about the history of the number so it feels less mysterious
• Skip horror films for now if they feed the fear
• Talk to a trusted faith leader if the worry is religious

When to get help

If the number is causing real distress or lots of checking, speak to your GP. Strong urges to avoid or check numbers can sometimes link to OCD, and talking therapy can help.

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

About me

Common questions

Where does the fear of 666 come from?

It comes from the Book of Revelation, which names 666 as the number of the beast. Over the centuries the number became linked with evil in books, films and popular culture. Today the fear ranges from a passing joke to genuine unease for some people.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Further reading: Medical News Today: Triskaidekaphobia · NHS: Phobias · Mind: Understanding phobias

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