But over the last several years, “Latinx” has become a de-facto gender neutral alternative to Latino and Hispanic, according to a new study by race and ethnicity researchers. Despite the increased awareness of the term among Latinos — 47% have heard of it — only 4% or 1.

Over the last few years, various terms have emerged to describe those in the U.S. with roots in Latin America and Spain. While “Hispanic” and “Latino” remain the most prominent, “Latinx” has become de-facto as a gender-neutral alternative.