Americans have weighed in — and the verdict this time is all about the sound of someone’s voice.
A new Babbel poll run via OnePoll asked 2,000 U.S. adults a very modern dating-style question: which accents spark attraction, and which ones make people lose interest.
The takeaway is simple: in relationships and sex, it’s not only what you say, but how you say it.
According to Babbel, accents can genuinely “make or break” romantic momentum. More than one in four respondents said an accent they dislike is an immediate dealbreaker.
That preference also shows up online: roughly two-thirds of those surveyed said an accent could influence whether they swipe left on a dating app.
When it came to the “sexiest” U.S. accent, Southern American English came out on top — the kind of speech associated with states like Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Babbel noted: “The accent features elongated vowels and a slower cadence that many listeners associate with ease and warmth,” Babbel said.
So do accents really shape dating choices that much? The survey indicates they do. Esteban Touma, Cultural and Linguistic Expert at Babbel, said: “Accents don’t just shape first impressions—they influence who we swipe on, who we meet again, and even how confident we feel showing up as ourselves.”
Expanding on the idea that voice matters beyond a first glance, Touma added: “These findings show just how powerful the human voice has become in modern dating.
“The findings underline just how layered and personal accents are. They carry history, identity and emotion — and it is precisely this distinctness that gives them meaning.”
Still, the message isn’t to start changing how you speak to fit a ranking. Preferences vary, and what one person ignores, another person may love. “Rather than something to smooth out or hide, our accents deserve to be embraced and celebrated.
“Everyone should feel free to speak in a way that reflects who they are and where they come from, without fear that it makes them less attractive or less worthy of connection.”
As for what the list really means, a Babbel language expert stressed that it’s about perception, not value or intellect: “Well, firstly, these results reflect perception, not inherent value. Accent attractiveness refers to how appealing listeners find certain speech patterns based on familiarity, cultural associations, and personal preference. These rankings highlight how voice shapes romantic first impressions, not how worthy or intelligent someone may be.”