The story
From the numerical quantities of the three stipulations of the 6-2-1 rule. Popularised by the furry fandom, and in use since as early as 8 November 1998 (see quotations); despite multiple claims suggesting that the 6-2-1 rule was devised by a physician or other doctor, and that it potentially originated in the science fiction community, this is unverified.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.