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| Meta Title | Triad City Beat | 50 famous memes and what they mean |
| Meta Description | Memes have become one of the most immediate ways to communicateâand the 50 most popular ones can be found just about anywhere on the internet. Sources came from Tumblr, Twitter, Know Your Meme, and other online pop culture resources and publications, and examined memes from the early 2000s to 2019., Featured photo: Wolper Pictures Ltd. This story was originally published on Stacker Merriam-Webster defines "meme" as "an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture" or "an amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video) or genre of items that is spread widely online especially through⌠|
| Meta Canonical | null |
| Boilerpipe Text | Featured photo: Wolper Pictures Ltd.
This story was originally published on Stacker
Merriam-Webster defines âmemeâ as âan idea, behavior, style, or usage that
spreads from person to person
within a cultureâ or âan amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video) or genre of items that is spread widely online especially through social media.â That definition hasnât been around foreverâit hasnât even been around for five years. The
dictionary editors officially added
the entry along with âemojiâ and âclickbaitâ to the formal dictionary in May 2015.
Memes have always come with an air of mystery, intriguing and confusing even the most computer literate. Where did they come from? More importantly, what do they mean? Even modern science is hopping on the meme train. A team of scientific researchers from University College London, Cyprus University of Technology, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Kingâs College London came together in September 2018 to research the internetâs most popular memes. Apart from assembling a definitive list of the worldâs favorite memes,
the academic study
also explored the influences (both positive and negative) that memes have on different communities. Some memes are created just for fun by creative or bored internet users, but others are made with the explicit intention of going viral to promote political ideas.
With the infinite number of memes scattered across the internet, itâs hard to keep track. Just when youâve grasped the meaning of one hilarious meme, it has already become old news and replaced by something equally as enigmatic. Online forums like Tumblr, Twitter, 4chan, and Reddit are responsible for a majority of meme infections, and with the constant posting and sharing, finding the source of an original meme is easier said than done. Stacker hunted through internet resources, pop culture publications, and databases like
Know Your Meme
to find 50 different memes and what they mean. While the almost self-replicating nature of these vague symbols can get exhausting, memes in their essence can also bring people closer togetherâas long as they have internet access.
You might also like:
Â
What âwokeâ and 50 other millennial sayings mean
imgflip
Distracted boyfriend
âDistracted boyfriendâ first entered the meme
game in 2017
, when a Turkish Facebook group used a stock photo of a man walking with a girl while checking out another girl to make a joke about Phil Collins. The meme continues to be relevant today while being used as inspiration for pop culture references, such as this recent one involving
âQueer Eyeâsâ Antoni Porowski, and new celebrity couple Kate Beckinsale and Pete Davidson
at a New York Rangers game.
Danganronpamemer // imgflp
Expanding brain
In 2017, when a number of posters on Tumblr and 4chan started bragging about their brain sizes, it quickly turned into a meme. Photos of different sized brains are paired with âsmartâ sounding words until they expand into a fully enlightened stage.
One of the first manifestations
of the âexpanding brainâ meme came from the who-whom-whomst progression of words that seemingly makes one sound smarter.
Supl // The Gateway
Young Thug at computer
Back in 2018 a photo surfaced of the rappers Young Thug and Lil Durk staring at a computer screen while working on new music in the studio. The internet quickly began finding humorous (and fabricated) explanations for what the two were so
intently concentrating on
, everything from the rappers planning an elaborate heist to playing old school games like minesweeper.
memeexplorer
First World problems
While the âFirst Worldâ terminology has been around for a while, the hashtag #firstworldproblems reached its peak in popularity on Twitter in 2011 after Buzzfeed posted a series of memes about problems experienced by privileged people from wealthy countries. The meme almost always depicts an attractive person looking sad, with a caption
explaining his or her First World frustrations
.
tumblr
Change my mind
After Steven Crowder, a conservative podcaster, posted a photo of himself in 2018 sitting at a desk with a sign saying âMale privilege is a myth: Change my mind,â it was almost too easy for the internet to begin making fun of him with memes of their own. Memes ranged from simply changing the words on the sign to elaborate photoshops.
PassedMyPrime // reddit
Drake
Drake has been the subject of several different memes throughout his long career. His 2015 single âHotline Blingâ was one of the biggest songs of the year, and when the music video came out featuring Drake dancing in a brightly lit cube structure the memes began to accumulate even more. Since then the internet has memed everything from his
Twitter posts to school portraits
.
Cat Graffam // Twitter
Is this a�
The âis this a pigeonâ meme first rose to popularity in 2011 after Tumblr posted a photo from a Japanese animated show of an android mistaking a butterfly for a pigeon. Most of the memes derived from the photo use the subjects to express
modern confusions or paranoia
.
KnowYourMeme
Real name Google searches
âReal name Google searchesâ is a meme that gained popularity in 2018 using the generic google template to depict made-up names for popular celebrities (usually those who go by aliases). According to Know Your Meme, it first appeared showing the rapper Lil Pumpâs name as âLilliam Pumpernickelâ and only got
more ridiculous from there
.
memeexplorer
Futurama Fry
âFuturama Fryâ is one of the most relatable memes on the web. One popular meme, which began in 2011, shows the character Fry from the animated show âFuturamaâ with eyes narrowed thinking about contradicting questions usually referring to modern times or sarcasm. Another is a generic photo with the same character holding cash yelling âshut up and take my money,â used for when someone finds the description of a product on the internet particularly appealing.
Twitter
Weird flex but OK
The phrase âweird flex but OKâ is used when someone brags about something that others would find awkward or just plain irrelevant. The phrase began
showing up on the internet
in 2017 and has continued to be used in response to awkward boasts. One of the most popular uses of the meme was during the recent Brett Kavanaugh hearings after he used his high school virginity as an argument.
Evieliam // Wikimedia Commons
This is fine
Taken out of a 2013 webcomic strip called âOn Fire,â this image showing a human-like dog enjoying his coffee while his house is burning down has seemingly become more and more relatable every year. The image is rarely altered, simply attached to troubling or
hard-to-grasp news
.
Unsplash / Bence Boros and Twitter / @joshwillhall
FBI agent
Jokes about âbig brother watchingâ are old, but in early 2018 the internet was more paranoid than ever before thanks to the internet-fueled idea of FBI agents watching people through their webcams. The memes arenât always critical, either; most of them
depict the agents
either protecting or being friendly with their subjects.
Screenshot: me.me
Kermit
The iconic green puppet has stolen the hearts of millions on the âMuppet Showâ since the 1950s, but the
internet meme sensation
didnât begin until 2014. Most notable memes include Kermit sipping on some tea with passive aggressive text followed by âbut thatâs none of my business,â as well as another with a hooded Kermit formatted to show good vs. evil thoughts.
John Lodder // flickr
Cats
From âI need disâ to âNyan Cat,â there really isnât one subject that emcompasses the internetâs love of memes better than cats.
Since the early 2000s
when âKeyboard Catâ first made an appearance on YouTube, people have been posting funny images of felines paired with hilarious text.
anlyin
Squinting woman
Also known as the âsquat and squintâ meme, the photo showing a squinting woman staring at something in the distance actually came from an outtake of a Instagram shot that
went viral in March
2018. Since then, the picture has been applied to any circumstance that the poster finds unbelievable.
stefabsky // Twitter
A Star is Born
When the first trailer for the highly anticipated movie starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga came out in 2018,
excited fans took screenshots
and made them into memes. The most popular ones came from funny adaptations of Cooperâs line âI just wanted to take another look at youâ and Gagaâs belted solo from the song âShallow.â
AndreDThompson // Twitter
Angry Patrick
Also known as âevil Patrickâ or âsavage Patrick,â this meme takes a still of the character Patrick from âSpongebob Squarepantsâ with a menacing look in his eyes from a 1999 episode. Twitter got a hold of it around February 2018 and started using the image along with an explanation of bad behavior or motives.
PaulFaire/TheThings // TheThings.com
By age 35âŚ
Following a 2018 MarketWatch article that implied an unrealistic amount of savings one should have in their 30s, people on
Twitter began responding
to the article by sharing all the other things you should ideally have by age 35 (from the hilariously true to the ridiculous). Advice on avocado toast, Pokemon, and drawers full of miscellaneous chargers followed.
George Aylett // Twitter
Donât say it
The âdonât say itâ meme details the relatable conversations people have between themselves and their brains, from bringing up awkward conversations topics to resisting âthatâs what she saidâ jokes. The first tweet with the meme showed up in 2010, but later resurfaced in 2017 and showed an inner struggle between whether or not to start a conversation with a taxi driver.
MILOSLAVvonRANDA // WW Interweb
Handshakes
The 1987 film âPredatorâ starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers contained within it what could be the manliest handshake of all time, and in 2007 it began gaining traction on YouTube. After multiple videos and fan art paying tribute to the handshake became popular in the following years,
object labeling
memes using the handshake as a
background to agreements
began to arise in 2018.
KnowYourMeme
Elon Musk
There have been several memes revolving around the tech entrepreneur Elon Musk throughout the years, especially
following his Twitter request
for âdank memesâ in October 2018. One of the most popular Musk memes uses an image of the billionaire smoking during a podcast interview.
tamouq // reddit
Mocking Spongebob
âMocking Spongebobâ uses an image from a 2012 episode of Spongebob Squarepants to make fun of another personâs opinion on the internet. The earliest uses of this meme came in 2017 on Twitter, quickly gaining traction and becoming one of the most popular (and effective) ways to
insult someone online
.
tcgreywold // imgflip
Roll Safe
In 2016 a British mockumentary starring actor Kayode Ewumi called âHood Documentaryâ was uploaded onto YouTube by BBC. Soon after, people on the internet began using a screen-grabbed image of Ewumi pointing to his temple like he had a good idea to reversely joke about
bad decisions and poor thinking
.
Kyle MacLachlan // Twitter
Thank u, next
When Ariana Grande released her single âThank U, Nextâ about her ex-boyfriends in early 2019, fans quickly began creating
memes out of the lyrics
. Aside from just using the title phrase to demonstrate being over something and moving on, the internet also used the lyrics to compare three things that taught them love, patience, and pain to mimic the chorus.
lil uzi hurt // Twitter
Letâs get this bread
People on the internet use the âLetâs get this breadâ meme ironically (usually it is slang for earning money) to make fun of people or themselves for
trying too hard
to earn money. In 2018 the meme exploded into everything from mockeries of the gluten-intolerant to references to Olive Garden.
Comics and Memes
Surprised pikachu
A screen-grabbed image of
Pikachu looking surprised
from an episode of âPokemonâ caught the attention of Twitter in late 2018. For the next few months, the image blew up when people started using it as a meme for doing something with an obvious outcome.
Warren Baker // The Blogging Baker
Condescending Willy Wonka
The meme uses an image of Gene Wilderâs 1971 Willy Wonka character to say something
patronizing or mock someone
. First used on Gizmodo and Tumblr as early as 2011, the image has become a common condescending response online.
Pink Diamond // Pinterest
Jason Momoa sneaking up on Henry Cavill
Jason Momoa and Henry Cavill began a friendship while filming âJustice Leagueâ in 2016, and when a photo was taken of Momoa sneaking up on Cavill on the red carpet the same year, it quickly went viral. On the last day of 2017, a Facebook account posted a meme using the image, labeling Momoa as â2018.â The
meme gained popularity
throughout the following months as people labeled the two as different things creeping up on each other.
sailorfemme // Twitter
Exhausted Spongebob
In yet another Spongebob Squarepants meme, âexhausted Spongebobâ uses an image from a 1999 episode where the character is leaning against a rock, naked and out of breath. Twitter began using the screengrab as an attachment to tweets around March 2018
about being tired
.
KnowYourMeme
Classical art memes
There is a lot of unique classical art out there, so of course the internet has to
find the most hilarious
and wacky pieces to turn into memes. While art-related videos and other online art parodies can be traced back to 2004, the more recognizable memes gained popularity starting in 2013.
BestLifeOnline
Worldâs most interesting man
Most people will recognize the
âworldâs most interesting manâ
(played by actor Jonathan Goldsmith) from the Dos Equis beer commercials that began in 2008. The meme usually uses the image of Goldsmith as a well-dressed gentleman with an adaptation of his catchphrase âI donât always X, but when I do, I Yâ and began to gain popularity as early as 2010.
Stumpy // Twitter
Guy blinking nervously
One of the most popular memes of 2017, âguy blinking nervouslyâ is usually used in GIF form
to demonstrate bafflement
and being caught unaware. The GIF initially came from a clip of a video producer when his co-worker said something inappropriate accidentally.
meme.xyz
Hard to swallow pills
The âhard to swallow pillsâ meme uses two stock photos from WikiHow that were first posted to the internet in August 2017. It didnât take long for a Redditor to photoshop the image of the pill bottle to read âhard to swallow pillsâ and use it as a meme to
illustrate a difficult truth.
TheStarVenge // reddit
Who would win?
The internet has taken the childhood game of âwho would winâ to a whole new level with this meme. Used to
pose hypothetical battles
between two opposing subjects, the âwho would winâ meme is said to have begun in 2014 when a 4chan user posted the meme using two video games as opponents.
bonkers4memes
How I sleep knowingâŚ
The classic rhetorical question âHow do you sleep at night?â was the inspiration for this meme. The more modern rendition shows a picture of a person or animal sleeping soundly with different versions of the words: âHow I sleep knowingâŚâ This usually refers to something that most people
feel guilty about or worry
about (and therefore lose sleep over).
YouTube
Kardashians
Ever since the show âKeeping Up with the Kardashiansâ first aired in 2007, people fell in love with watching the
familyâs antics
. They have all been the subject of a huge number of memes, with some of the most popular ones using screen shots from the show (usually of a meltdown or overreaction).
TodayYearsOld // Twitter
âTodayâ days old
âToday days oldâ is used as a
response to any random realization
. It first came from posts asking âHow old were you when you realized X?â with someone responding: âI was today years old.â This can be a fact both well-known or more obscure.
toxic_ideology // reddit
Pepe
Pepe the frog is a fictional character that first appeared in a 2005 comic, and has gone through multiple transformations since then. Starting out as a positive meme known as âfeel good frogâ in 2008, Pepe was edited into a more sad or angry meme a few years later. By 2015, what was initially intended to symbolize a peaceful way of life by the artist became twisted by several hate groups causing the image to be added to the Anti-Defamation Leagueâs
database of hate symbols
in 2016.
MegaMailer
Crying Michael Jordan
Taken from an image of the famous athleteâs emotional speech during his 2009 induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, this meme is usually used to convey a fanâs disappointment when his particular team loses or performs poorly. The meme has been around since first appearing on MemeCrunch in 2012 and gained an official fan page on Tumblr in 2015.
Jordan has reportedly
found the entire fad pretty funny.
Tumblr
*Slaps roof of car*
âSlaps roof of carâ can be traced
back to a 2014 tweet
of a ridiculous car salesmen conversation overheard and started blowing up in 2018 after being paired with an illustrated stock image of a car salesman showing off a car. The meme has seen many photoshopped variations, but usually utilizes the phrase âThis bad boy can fit so much X in it.â
memegenerator
Awkward little girl
Also known as âSide Eyeing Chloe,â this meme can be used in pretty much any awkward situation. The original photo came from a
video of a little girl
giving an unimpressed and hesitant look after being told about a surprise trip to Disneyland in 2013.
99flamey1 // imgur
Krusty Krab vs. Chum Bucket
Just about every âSpongebob Squarepantsâ fan knows about the intense rivalry between the Krusty Krab and the Chum Bucket restaurants, but the former usually reigns supreme. The meme
uses photoshopped images
of both cartoon restaurants in order to project two rivals, such as sports teams and TV shows.
Havokimin // College Humor
Elf on the shelf rhyming
The âElf on the Shelfâ tradition began when parents would put an elf doll in the mantle during the holiday season and tell their children that it was watching them be naughty or nice.
Toward the end of 2017
, it became popular to post images of funny things that rhyme sitting on top of other things that rhyme using the phrase âYouâve heard of elf on the shelf, now get ready for X.â
BlownIntoSpace // imgur
One does not simplyâŚ
Fans of âLord of the Ringsâ wonât need an explanation for this meme. Actor Sean Bean played Boromir in the movies, and one of his famous lines, âOne does not simply walk into Mordor,â became the inspiration for a meme that
plays on the phrase
. Bean himself even admitted to seeing a big influx of the memes online during a 2015 interview.
bonkers4memes
I am a man/woman looking forâŚ.
After a 2017 tweet that posed a questionnaire using the classic dating template âI am a man/woman looking for a man/womanâ about Carly Rae Jepsen, a meme was born. Since then, it
has become popular
to use the format to make funny declarations.
Fossbytes
Success kid
One of the most popular memes of all time, âsuccess kidâ uses a 2007 photo taken of a little boy with a clenched fist and determined expression. It is almost always used to display small successful moments or âwinsâ that happen to someone throughout a normal day like getting an extra chicken nugget in a fast-food meal.
OverlyAttachedGirlfriend.com
Overly attached girlfriend
âOverly attached girlfriendâ began in 2012 when a Redditor took a screenshot of an image he found comical from a video of a girl singing a rendition of Justin Bieberâs song âBoyfriend.â It quickly began making its rounds on the internet,
using captions portraying
her as a stereotypical overly attached girlfriend.
memegenerator
Donald Trump yelling at lawnmower boy
The internet just couldnât help itself after images surfaced of a little boy mowing the lawn at the White House completely ignoring Trump. The kid was apparently
so focused on the job
that he didnât notice Trump when he came out to greet him, forcing Trump to yell loudly over the sound of the lawnmower and making for some great meme fuel.
KnowYourMeme
Left exit 12
The âLeft exit 12â meme uses a series of screen grabs from a 2013 YouTube video showing a car drifting dangerously into an exit ramp. People began
photoshopping the exit sign
(exit 12) to say comical things that one might swerve off the highway in order to get to.
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Culture
# 50 famous memes and what they mean
[by Katherine Gallagher (Stacker)](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/)
December 27th, 2022
Featured photo: Wolper Pictures Ltd.
This story was originally published on Stacker
Merriam-Webster defines âmemeâ as âan idea, behavior, style, or usage that [spreads from person to person](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meme) within a cultureâ or âan amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video) or genre of items that is spread widely online especially through social media.â That definition hasnât been around foreverâit hasnât even been around for five years. The [dictionary editors officially added](https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/merriam-webster-dictionary-adds-1-700-entries-including-wtf-article-1.2236223) the entry along with âemojiâ and âclickbaitâ to the formal dictionary in May 2015.
Memes have always come with an air of mystery, intriguing and confusing even the most computer literate. Where did they come from? More importantly, what do they mean? Even modern science is hopping on the meme train. A team of scientific researchers from University College London, Cyprus University of Technology, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Kingâs College London came together in September 2018 to research the internetâs most popular memes. Apart from assembling a definitive list of the worldâs favorite memes, [the academic study](https://arxiv.org/pdf/1805.12512.pdf) also explored the influences (both positive and negative) that memes have on different communities. Some memes are created just for fun by creative or bored internet users, but others are made with the explicit intention of going viral to promote political ideas.
With the infinite number of memes scattered across the internet, itâs hard to keep track. Just when youâve grasped the meaning of one hilarious meme, it has already become old news and replaced by something equally as enigmatic. Online forums like Tumblr, Twitter, 4chan, and Reddit are responsible for a majority of meme infections, and with the constant posting and sharing, finding the source of an original meme is easier said than done. Stacker hunted through internet resources, pop culture publications, and databases like [Know Your Meme](https://knowyourmeme.com/) to find 50 different memes and what they mean. While the almost self-replicating nature of these vague symbols can get exhausting, memes in their essence can also bring people closer togetherâas long as they have internet access.
**You might also like:** [What âwokeâ and 50 other millennial sayings mean](https://thestacker.com/stories/2614/what-woke-and-50-other-millennial-sayings-mean)
##### imgflip
## Distracted boyfriend
âDistracted boyfriendâ first entered the meme [game in 2017](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/distracted-boyfriend), when a Turkish Facebook group used a stock photo of a man walking with a girl while checking out another girl to make a joke about Phil Collins. The meme continues to be relevant today while being used as inspiration for pop culture references, such as this recent one involving [âQueer Eyeâsâ Antoni Porowski, and new celebrity couple Kate Beckinsale and Pete Davidson](https://www.eater.com/2019/3/5/18251500/pete-davidson-kate-beckinsale-antoni-hockey-game-photo-meme) at a New York Rangers game.
##### Danganronpamemer // imgflp
## Expanding brain
In 2017, when a number of posters on Tumblr and 4chan started bragging about their brain sizes, it quickly turned into a meme. Photos of different sized brains are paired with âsmartâ sounding words until they expand into a fully enlightened stage. [One of the first manifestations](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/03/the-brain-meme-will-expand-your-mind.html) of the âexpanding brainâ meme came from the who-whom-whomst progression of words that seemingly makes one sound smarter.
##### Supl // The Gateway
## Young Thug at computer
Back in 2018 a photo surfaced of the rappers Young Thug and Lil Durk staring at a computer screen while working on new music in the studio. The internet quickly began finding humorous (and fabricated) explanations for what the two were so [intently concentrating on](https://www.buzzfeed.com/kevinsmith/that-young-thug-computer-meme), everything from the rappers planning an elaborate heist to playing old school games like minesweeper.
##### memeexplorer
## First World problems
While the âFirst Worldâ terminology has been around for a while, the hashtag \#firstworldproblems reached its peak in popularity on Twitter in 2011 after Buzzfeed posted a series of memes about problems experienced by privileged people from wealthy countries. The meme almost always depicts an attractive person looking sad, with a caption [explaining his or her First World frustrations](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/first-world-problems).
##### tumblr
## Change my mind
After Steven Crowder, a conservative podcaster, posted a photo of himself in 2018 sitting at a desk with a sign saying âMale privilege is a myth: Change my mind,â it was almost too easy for the internet to begin making fun of him with memes of their own. Memes ranged from simply changing the words on the sign to elaborate photoshops.
##### PassedMyPrime // reddit
## Drake
Drake has been the subject of several different memes throughout his long career. His 2015 single âHotline Blingâ was one of the biggest songs of the year, and when the music video came out featuring Drake dancing in a brightly lit cube structure the memes began to accumulate even more. Since then the internet has memed everything from his [Twitter posts to school portraits](https://crackmagazine.net/article/long-reads/brief-anthology-drakes-reign-lord-memes/).
##### Cat Graffam // Twitter
## Is this a�
The âis this a pigeonâ meme first rose to popularity in 2011 after Tumblr posted a photo from a Japanese animated show of an android mistaking a butterfly for a pigeon. Most of the memes derived from the photo use the subjects to express [modern confusions or paranoia](https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/this-a-pigeon-meme).
##### KnowYourMeme
## Real name Google searches
âReal name Google searchesâ is a meme that gained popularity in 2018 using the generic google template to depict made-up names for popular celebrities (usually those who go by aliases). According to Know Your Meme, it first appeared showing the rapper Lil Pumpâs name as âLilliam Pumpernickelâ and only got [more ridiculous from there](https://www.elitedaily.com/p/these-celebrity-real-name-memes-hilariously-reveal-stars-actual-names-11471340).
##### memeexplorer
## Futurama Fry
âFuturama Fryâ is one of the most relatable memes on the web. One popular meme, which began in 2011, shows the character Fry from the animated show âFuturamaâ with eyes narrowed thinking about contradicting questions usually referring to modern times or sarcasm. Another is a generic photo with the same character holding cash yelling âshut up and take my money,â used for when someone finds the description of a product on the internet particularly appealing.
##### Twitter
## Weird flex but OK
The phrase âweird flex but OKâ is used when someone brags about something that others would find awkward or just plain irrelevant. The phrase began [showing up on the internet](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/weird-flex-but-ok) in 2017 and has continued to be used in response to awkward boasts. One of the most popular uses of the meme was during the recent Brett Kavanaugh hearings after he used his high school virginity as an argument.
##### Evieliam // Wikimedia Commons
## This is fine
Taken out of a 2013 webcomic strip called âOn Fire,â this image showing a human-like dog enjoying his coffee while his house is burning down has seemingly become more and more relatable every year. The image is rarely altered, simply attached to troubling or [hard-to-grasp news](https://www.theverge.com/2016/5/5/11592622/this-is-fine-meme-comic).
##### Unsplash / Bence Boros and Twitter / @joshwillhall
## FBI agent
Jokes about âbig brother watchingâ are old, but in early 2018 the internet was more paranoid than ever before thanks to the internet-fueled idea of FBI agents watching people through their webcams. The memes arenât always critical, either; most of them [depict the agents](https://mashable.com/2018/02/02/fbi-agent-webcam-jokes/) either protecting or being friendly with their subjects.
##### Screenshot: me.me
## Kermit
The iconic green puppet has stolen the hearts of millions on the âMuppet Showâ since the 1950s, but the [internet meme sensation](https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/kermit-the-frog-memes/) didnât begin until 2014. Most notable memes include Kermit sipping on some tea with passive aggressive text followed by âbut thatâs none of my business,â as well as another with a hooded Kermit formatted to show good vs. evil thoughts.
##### John Lodder // flickr
## Cats
From âI need disâ to âNyan Cat,â there really isnât one subject that emcompasses the internetâs love of memes better than cats. [Since the early 2000s](https://mashable.com/2012/07/02/best-cat-memes-ever/#VSC.uMht_mqF) when âKeyboard Catâ first made an appearance on YouTube, people have been posting funny images of felines paired with hilarious text.
##### anlyin
## Squinting woman
Also known as the âsquat and squintâ meme, the photo showing a squinting woman staring at something in the distance actually came from an outtake of a Instagram shot that [went viral in March](https://www.thefader.com/2018/04/03/squat-and-squint-meme-woman) 2018. Since then, the picture has been applied to any circumstance that the poster finds unbelievable.
##### stefabsky // Twitter
## A Star is Born
When the first trailer for the highly anticipated movie starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga came out in 2018, [excited fans took screenshots](https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/a-star-is-born-memes-explained) and made them into memes. The most popular ones came from funny adaptations of Cooperâs line âI just wanted to take another look at youâ and Gagaâs belted solo from the song âShallow.â
##### AndreDThompson // Twitter
## Angry Patrick
Also known as âevil Patrickâ or âsavage Patrick,â this meme takes a still of the character Patrick from âSpongebob Squarepantsâ with a menacing look in his eyes from a 1999 episode. Twitter got a hold of it around February 2018 and started using the image along with an explanation of bad behavior or motives.
##### PaulFaire/TheThings // TheThings.com
## By age 35âŚ
Following a 2018 MarketWatch article that implied an unrealistic amount of savings one should have in their 30s, people on [Twitter began responding](https://mashable.com/2018/05/21/savings-before-35-meme/) to the article by sharing all the other things you should ideally have by age 35 (from the hilariously true to the ridiculous). Advice on avocado toast, Pokemon, and drawers full of miscellaneous chargers followed.
##### George Aylett // Twitter
## Donât say it
The âdonât say itâ meme details the relatable conversations people have between themselves and their brains, from bringing up awkward conversations topics to resisting âthatâs what she saidâ jokes. The first tweet with the meme showed up in 2010, but later resurfaced in 2017 and showed an inner struggle between whether or not to start a conversation with a taxi driver.
##### MILOSLAVvonRANDA // WW Interweb
## Handshakes
The 1987 film âPredatorâ starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers contained within it what could be the manliest handshake of all time, and in 2007 it began gaining traction on YouTube. After multiple videos and fan art paying tribute to the handshake became popular in the following years, [object labeling](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/object-labeling) memes using the handshake as a [background to agreements](https://time.com/5373564/handshake-meme-twitter/) began to arise in 2018.
##### KnowYourMeme
## Elon Musk
There have been several memes revolving around the tech entrepreneur Elon Musk throughout the years, especially [following his Twitter request](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1055517521082609664?lang=en) for âdank memesâ in October 2018. One of the most popular Musk memes uses an image of the billionaire smoking during a podcast interview.
##### tamouq // reddit
## Mocking Spongebob
âMocking Spongebobâ uses an image from a 2012 episode of Spongebob Squarepants to make fun of another personâs opinion on the internet. The earliest uses of this meme came in 2017 on Twitter, quickly gaining traction and becoming one of the most popular (and effective) ways to [insult someone online](https://www.mandatory.com/fun/1457183-spongebob-mocking-meme).
##### tcgreywold // imgflip
## Roll Safe
In 2016 a British mockumentary starring actor Kayode Ewumi called âHood Documentaryâ was uploaded onto YouTube by BBC. Soon after, people on the internet began using a screen-grabbed image of Ewumi pointing to his temple like he had a good idea to reversely joke about [bad decisions and poor thinking](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/02/roll-safe-the-guy-tapping-head-meme-explained.html).
##### Kyle MacLachlan // Twitter
## Thank u, next
When Ariana Grande released her single âThank U, Nextâ about her ex-boyfriends in early 2019, fans quickly began creating [memes out of the lyrics](https://hellogiggles.com/news/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-memes/). Aside from just using the title phrase to demonstrate being over something and moving on, the internet also used the lyrics to compare three things that taught them love, patience, and pain to mimic the chorus.
##### lil uzi hurt // Twitter
## Letâs get this bread
People on the internet use the âLetâs get this breadâ meme ironically (usually it is slang for earning money) to make fun of people or themselves for [trying too hard](https://www.buzzfeed.com/pedrofequiere/31-of-the-most-hilarious-lets-get-this-bread-memes-found-on) to earn money. In 2018 the meme exploded into everything from mockeries of the gluten-intolerant to references to Olive Garden.
##### Comics and Memes
## Surprised pikachu
A screen-grabbed image of [Pikachu looking surprised](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/surprised-pikachu) from an episode of âPokemonâ caught the attention of Twitter in late 2018. For the next few months, the image blew up when people started using it as a meme for doing something with an obvious outcome.
##### Warren Baker // The Blogging Baker
## Condescending Willy Wonka
The meme uses an image of Gene Wilderâs 1971 Willy Wonka character to say something [patronizing or mock someone](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/condescending-wonka-creepy-wonka). First used on Gizmodo and Tumblr as early as 2011, the image has become a common condescending response online.
##### Pink Diamond // Pinterest
## Jason Momoa sneaking up on Henry Cavill
Jason Momoa and Henry Cavill began a friendship while filming âJustice Leagueâ in 2016, and when a photo was taken of Momoa sneaking up on Cavill on the red carpet the same year, it quickly went viral. On the last day of 2017, a Facebook account posted a meme using the image, labeling Momoa as â2018.â The [meme gained popularity](https://www.instyle.com/news/jason-momoa-henry-cavill-bromance) throughout the following months as people labeled the two as different things creeping up on each other.
##### sailorfemme // Twitter
## Exhausted Spongebob
In yet another Spongebob Squarepants meme, âexhausted Spongebobâ uses an image from a 1999 episode where the character is leaning against a rock, naked and out of breath. Twitter began using the screengrab as an attachment to tweets around March 2018 [about being tired](https://www.thisisinsider.com/tired-spongebob-meme-explained-2018-3).
##### KnowYourMeme
## Classical art memes
There is a lot of unique classical art out there, so of course the internet has to [find the most hilarious](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/classical-art-memes) and wacky pieces to turn into memes. While art-related videos and other online art parodies can be traced back to 2004, the more recognizable memes gained popularity starting in 2013.
##### BestLifeOnline
## Worldâs most interesting man
Most people will recognize the [âworldâs most interesting manâ](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world) (played by actor Jonathan Goldsmith) from the Dos Equis beer commercials that began in 2008. The meme usually uses the image of Goldsmith as a well-dressed gentleman with an adaptation of his catchphrase âI donât always X, but when I do, I Yâ and began to gain popularity as early as 2010.
##### Stumpy // Twitter
## Guy blinking nervously
One of the most popular memes of 2017, âguy blinking nervouslyâ is usually used in GIF form [to demonstrate bafflement](https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/blinking-white-guy-meme-drew-scanlon) and being caught unaware. The GIF initially came from a clip of a video producer when his co-worker said something inappropriate accidentally.
##### meme.xyz
## Hard to swallow pills
The âhard to swallow pillsâ meme uses two stock photos from WikiHow that were first posted to the internet in August 2017. It didnât take long for a Redditor to photoshop the image of the pill bottle to read âhard to swallow pillsâ and use it as a meme to [illustrate a difficult truth.](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/hard-to-swallow-pills)
##### TheStarVenge // reddit
## Who would win?
The internet has taken the childhood game of âwho would winâ to a whole new level with this meme. Used to [pose hypothetical battles](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/who-would-win) between two opposing subjects, the âwho would winâ meme is said to have begun in 2014 when a 4chan user posted the meme using two video games as opponents.
##### bonkers4memes
## How I sleep knowingâŚ
The classic rhetorical question âHow do you sleep at night?â was the inspiration for this meme. The more modern rendition shows a picture of a person or animal sleeping soundly with different versions of the words: âHow I sleep knowingâŚâ This usually refers to something that most people [feel guilty about or worry](https://onsizzle.com/t/how-i-sleep-knowing?s=new) about (and therefore lose sleep over).
##### YouTube
## Kardashians
Ever since the show âKeeping Up with the Kardashiansâ first aired in 2007, people fell in love with watching the [familyâs antics](https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a14476872/best-kardashian-kuwtk-memes-jokes/). They have all been the subject of a huge number of memes, with some of the most popular ones using screen shots from the show (usually of a meltdown or overreaction).
##### TodayYearsOld // Twitter
## âTodayâ days old
âToday days oldâ is used as a [response to any random realization](https://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanschocket2/eighteen-times-twitter-was-a-haven-of-useless-but). It first came from posts asking âHow old were you when you realized X?â with someone responding: âI was today years old.â This can be a fact both well-known or more obscure.
##### toxic\_ideology // reddit
## Pepe
Pepe the frog is a fictional character that first appeared in a 2005 comic, and has gone through multiple transformations since then. Starting out as a positive meme known as âfeel good frogâ in 2008, Pepe was edited into a more sad or angry meme a few years later. By 2015, what was initially intended to symbolize a peaceful way of life by the artist became twisted by several hate groups causing the image to be added to the Anti-Defamation Leagueâs [database of hate symbols](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37493165) in 2016.
##### MegaMailer
## Crying Michael Jordan
Taken from an image of the famous athleteâs emotional speech during his 2009 induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, this meme is usually used to convey a fanâs disappointment when his particular team loses or performs poorly. The meme has been around since first appearing on MemeCrunch in 2012 and gained an official fan page on Tumblr in 2015. [Jordan has reportedly](https://www.buzzfeed.com/krystieyandoli/michael-jordan-apparently-thinks-the-meme-of-his-crying-face) found the entire fad pretty funny.
##### Tumblr
## \*Slaps roof of car\*
âSlaps roof of carâ can be traced [back to a 2014 tweet](https://twitter.com/OBiiieeee/status/517075789880520705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E517075789880520705&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailydot.com%2Funclick%2Fslaps-roof-of-car-meme%2F) of a ridiculous car salesmen conversation overheard and started blowing up in 2018 after being paired with an illustrated stock image of a car salesman showing off a car. The meme has seen many photoshopped variations, but usually utilizes the phrase âThis bad boy can fit so much X in it.â
##### memegenerator
## Awkward little girl
Also known as âSide Eyeing Chloe,â this meme can be used in pretty much any awkward situation. The original photo came from a [video of a little girl](https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a9929919/this-is-what-the-side-eye-meme-girl-looks-like-now/) giving an unimpressed and hesitant look after being told about a surprise trip to Disneyland in 2013.
##### 99flamey1 // imgur
## Krusty Krab vs. Chum Bucket
Just about every âSpongebob Squarepantsâ fan knows about the intense rivalry between the Krusty Krab and the Chum Bucket restaurants, but the former usually reigns supreme. The meme [uses photoshopped images](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/03/the-krusty-krabchum-bucket-rivalry-spongebob-meme-explained.html) of both cartoon restaurants in order to project two rivals, such as sports teams and TV shows.
##### Havokimin // College Humor
## Elf on the shelf rhyming
The âElf on the Shelfâ tradition began when parents would put an elf doll in the mantle during the holiday season and tell their children that it was watching them be naughty or nice. [Toward the end of 2017](https://mashable.com/2017/09/18/the-elf-on-the-shelf-meme/#lmn6P_D4SkqD), it became popular to post images of funny things that rhyme sitting on top of other things that rhyme using the phrase âYouâve heard of elf on the shelf, now get ready for X.â
##### BlownIntoSpace // imgur
## One does not simplyâŚ
Fans of âLord of the Ringsâ wonât need an explanation for this meme. Actor Sean Bean played Boromir in the movies, and one of his famous lines, âOne does not simply walk into Mordor,â became the inspiration for a meme that [plays on the phrase](https://www.pinterest.com/motomov/one-does-not-simply-memes/). Bean himself even admitted to seeing a big influx of the memes online during a 2015 interview.
##### bonkers4memes
## I am a man/woman looking forâŚ.
After a 2017 tweet that posed a questionnaire using the classic dating template âI am a man/woman looking for a man/womanâ about Carly Rae Jepsen, a meme was born. Since then, it [has become popular](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/im-a-man-woman-looking-for) to use the format to make funny declarations.
##### Fossbytes
## Success kid
One of the most popular memes of all time, âsuccess kidâ uses a 2007 photo taken of a little boy with a clenched fist and determined expression. It is almost always used to display small successful moments or âwinsâ that happen to someone throughout a normal day like getting an extra chicken nugget in a fast-food meal.
##### OverlyAttachedGirlfriend.com
## Overly attached girlfriend
âOverly attached girlfriendâ began in 2012 when a Redditor took a screenshot of an image he found comical from a video of a girl singing a rendition of Justin Bieberâs song âBoyfriend.â It quickly began making its rounds on the internet, [using captions portraying](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/06/112685/laina-morris-overly-attached-girlfriend-meme) her as a stereotypical overly attached girlfriend.
##### memegenerator
## Donald Trump yelling at lawnmower boy
The internet just couldnât help itself after images surfaced of a little boy mowing the lawn at the White House completely ignoring Trump. The kid was apparently [so focused on the job](https://www.romper.com/p/these-memes-of-frank-the-lawn-mower-kid-ignoring-trump-will-make-you-lol-2367970) that he didnât notice Trump when he came out to greet him, forcing Trump to yell loudly over the sound of the lawnmower and making for some great meme fuel.
##### KnowYourMeme
## Left exit 12
The âLeft exit 12â meme uses a series of screen grabs from a 2013 YouTube video showing a car drifting dangerously into an exit ramp. People began [photoshopping the exit sign](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/left-exit-12-off-ramp) (exit 12) to say comical things that one might swerve off the highway in order to get to.
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### 7 responses to â50 famous memes and what they meanâ
1. 
[Gothic Cyber Pants](https://www.gothicattitude.com/men-gothic-pant)
says:
[March 5, 2024 at 10:08 am](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/#comment-17032)
Thanks for sharing this information with us! Amazing articles
[Reply](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/?replytocom=17032#respond)
- 
[Abdul Majeed](https://sololevelingmanhwa.me/)
says:
[February 17, 2025 at 12:17 pm](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/#comment-17319)
Yes it was
[Reply](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/?replytocom=17319#respond)
2. 
[Leather corsets](https://www.gothicattitude.com/corsets)
says:
[May 3, 2024 at 10:00 am](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/#comment-17171)
You have outdone yourself with this post. Very interesting and informative\!
[Reply](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/?replytocom=17171#respond)
3. 
[BotĂľes Elite](https://botoeselite.com/)
says:
[August 15, 2024 at 8:19 pm](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/#comment-17239)
Really funny Content. Keep it up\!
[Reply](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/?replytocom=17239#respond)
4. 
Edu
says:
[September 27, 2024 at 1:07 pm](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/#comment-17265)
Very Nice Article that helps to create latest and trending Memes. Your Post helps me a lost to make laughing and funny post and reels on my Blog post and and on my Facebook. Really appreciate the efforts and content. I hope you will upload the same kind of content and please keep sharing it. Thanks and cheers\!
[Reply](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/?replytocom=17265#respond)
5. 
[pooja](https://urbansclothing.com/)
says:
[November 4, 2024 at 3:19 pm](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/#comment-17286)
great list and i see amazing memes.
[Reply](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/?replytocom=17286#respond)
6. 
[Neha](https://jaiswaludyog.com/)
says:
[November 8, 2024 at 10:55 am](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/#comment-17288)
Amazing memes and nice explanation of them\!
[Reply](https://triad-city-beat.com/50-famous-memes-and-what-they-mean/?replytocom=17288#respond)
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| Readable Markdown | Featured photo: Wolper Pictures Ltd.
This story was originally published on Stacker
Merriam-Webster defines âmemeâ as âan idea, behavior, style, or usage that [spreads from person to person](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meme) within a cultureâ or âan amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video) or genre of items that is spread widely online especially through social media.â That definition hasnât been around foreverâit hasnât even been around for five years. The [dictionary editors officially added](https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/merriam-webster-dictionary-adds-1-700-entries-including-wtf-article-1.2236223) the entry along with âemojiâ and âclickbaitâ to the formal dictionary in May 2015.
Memes have always come with an air of mystery, intriguing and confusing even the most computer literate. Where did they come from? More importantly, what do they mean? Even modern science is hopping on the meme train. A team of scientific researchers from University College London, Cyprus University of Technology, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Kingâs College London came together in September 2018 to research the internetâs most popular memes. Apart from assembling a definitive list of the worldâs favorite memes, [the academic study](https://arxiv.org/pdf/1805.12512.pdf) also explored the influences (both positive and negative) that memes have on different communities. Some memes are created just for fun by creative or bored internet users, but others are made with the explicit intention of going viral to promote political ideas.
With the infinite number of memes scattered across the internet, itâs hard to keep track. Just when youâve grasped the meaning of one hilarious meme, it has already become old news and replaced by something equally as enigmatic. Online forums like Tumblr, Twitter, 4chan, and Reddit are responsible for a majority of meme infections, and with the constant posting and sharing, finding the source of an original meme is easier said than done. Stacker hunted through internet resources, pop culture publications, and databases like [Know Your Meme](https://knowyourmeme.com/) to find 50 different memes and what they mean. While the almost self-replicating nature of these vague symbols can get exhausting, memes in their essence can also bring people closer togetherâas long as they have internet access.
**You might also like:** [What âwokeâ and 50 other millennial sayings mean](https://thestacker.com/stories/2614/what-woke-and-50-other-millennial-sayings-mean)
##### imgflip
## Distracted boyfriend
âDistracted boyfriendâ first entered the meme [game in 2017](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/distracted-boyfriend), when a Turkish Facebook group used a stock photo of a man walking with a girl while checking out another girl to make a joke about Phil Collins. The meme continues to be relevant today while being used as inspiration for pop culture references, such as this recent one involving [âQueer Eyeâsâ Antoni Porowski, and new celebrity couple Kate Beckinsale and Pete Davidson](https://www.eater.com/2019/3/5/18251500/pete-davidson-kate-beckinsale-antoni-hockey-game-photo-meme) at a New York Rangers game.
##### Danganronpamemer // imgflp
## Expanding brain
In 2017, when a number of posters on Tumblr and 4chan started bragging about their brain sizes, it quickly turned into a meme. Photos of different sized brains are paired with âsmartâ sounding words until they expand into a fully enlightened stage. [One of the first manifestations](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/03/the-brain-meme-will-expand-your-mind.html) of the âexpanding brainâ meme came from the who-whom-whomst progression of words that seemingly makes one sound smarter.
##### Supl // The Gateway
## Young Thug at computer
Back in 2018 a photo surfaced of the rappers Young Thug and Lil Durk staring at a computer screen while working on new music in the studio. The internet quickly began finding humorous (and fabricated) explanations for what the two were so [intently concentrating on](https://www.buzzfeed.com/kevinsmith/that-young-thug-computer-meme), everything from the rappers planning an elaborate heist to playing old school games like minesweeper.
##### memeexplorer
## First World problems
While the âFirst Worldâ terminology has been around for a while, the hashtag \#firstworldproblems reached its peak in popularity on Twitter in 2011 after Buzzfeed posted a series of memes about problems experienced by privileged people from wealthy countries. The meme almost always depicts an attractive person looking sad, with a caption [explaining his or her First World frustrations](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/first-world-problems).
##### tumblr
## Change my mind
After Steven Crowder, a conservative podcaster, posted a photo of himself in 2018 sitting at a desk with a sign saying âMale privilege is a myth: Change my mind,â it was almost too easy for the internet to begin making fun of him with memes of their own. Memes ranged from simply changing the words on the sign to elaborate photoshops.
##### PassedMyPrime // reddit
## Drake
Drake has been the subject of several different memes throughout his long career. His 2015 single âHotline Blingâ was one of the biggest songs of the year, and when the music video came out featuring Drake dancing in a brightly lit cube structure the memes began to accumulate even more. Since then the internet has memed everything from his [Twitter posts to school portraits](https://crackmagazine.net/article/long-reads/brief-anthology-drakes-reign-lord-memes/).
##### Cat Graffam // Twitter
## Is this a�
The âis this a pigeonâ meme first rose to popularity in 2011 after Tumblr posted a photo from a Japanese animated show of an android mistaking a butterfly for a pigeon. Most of the memes derived from the photo use the subjects to express [modern confusions or paranoia](https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/this-a-pigeon-meme).
##### KnowYourMeme
## Real name Google searches
âReal name Google searchesâ is a meme that gained popularity in 2018 using the generic google template to depict made-up names for popular celebrities (usually those who go by aliases). According to Know Your Meme, it first appeared showing the rapper Lil Pumpâs name as âLilliam Pumpernickelâ and only got [more ridiculous from there](https://www.elitedaily.com/p/these-celebrity-real-name-memes-hilariously-reveal-stars-actual-names-11471340).
##### memeexplorer
## Futurama Fry
âFuturama Fryâ is one of the most relatable memes on the web. One popular meme, which began in 2011, shows the character Fry from the animated show âFuturamaâ with eyes narrowed thinking about contradicting questions usually referring to modern times or sarcasm. Another is a generic photo with the same character holding cash yelling âshut up and take my money,â used for when someone finds the description of a product on the internet particularly appealing.
##### Twitter
## Weird flex but OK
The phrase âweird flex but OKâ is used when someone brags about something that others would find awkward or just plain irrelevant. The phrase began [showing up on the internet](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/weird-flex-but-ok) in 2017 and has continued to be used in response to awkward boasts. One of the most popular uses of the meme was during the recent Brett Kavanaugh hearings after he used his high school virginity as an argument.
##### Evieliam // Wikimedia Commons
## This is fine
Taken out of a 2013 webcomic strip called âOn Fire,â this image showing a human-like dog enjoying his coffee while his house is burning down has seemingly become more and more relatable every year. The image is rarely altered, simply attached to troubling or [hard-to-grasp news](https://www.theverge.com/2016/5/5/11592622/this-is-fine-meme-comic).
##### Unsplash / Bence Boros and Twitter / @joshwillhall
## FBI agent
Jokes about âbig brother watchingâ are old, but in early 2018 the internet was more paranoid than ever before thanks to the internet-fueled idea of FBI agents watching people through their webcams. The memes arenât always critical, either; most of them [depict the agents](https://mashable.com/2018/02/02/fbi-agent-webcam-jokes/) either protecting or being friendly with their subjects.
##### Screenshot: me.me
## Kermit
The iconic green puppet has stolen the hearts of millions on the âMuppet Showâ since the 1950s, but the [internet meme sensation](https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/kermit-the-frog-memes/) didnât begin until 2014. Most notable memes include Kermit sipping on some tea with passive aggressive text followed by âbut thatâs none of my business,â as well as another with a hooded Kermit formatted to show good vs. evil thoughts.
##### John Lodder // flickr
## Cats
From âI need disâ to âNyan Cat,â there really isnât one subject that emcompasses the internetâs love of memes better than cats. [Since the early 2000s](https://mashable.com/2012/07/02/best-cat-memes-ever/#VSC.uMht_mqF) when âKeyboard Catâ first made an appearance on YouTube, people have been posting funny images of felines paired with hilarious text.
##### anlyin
## Squinting woman
Also known as the âsquat and squintâ meme, the photo showing a squinting woman staring at something in the distance actually came from an outtake of a Instagram shot that [went viral in March](https://www.thefader.com/2018/04/03/squat-and-squint-meme-woman) 2018. Since then, the picture has been applied to any circumstance that the poster finds unbelievable.
##### stefabsky // Twitter
## A Star is Born
When the first trailer for the highly anticipated movie starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga came out in 2018, [excited fans took screenshots](https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/a-star-is-born-memes-explained) and made them into memes. The most popular ones came from funny adaptations of Cooperâs line âI just wanted to take another look at youâ and Gagaâs belted solo from the song âShallow.â
##### AndreDThompson // Twitter
## Angry Patrick
Also known as âevil Patrickâ or âsavage Patrick,â this meme takes a still of the character Patrick from âSpongebob Squarepantsâ with a menacing look in his eyes from a 1999 episode. Twitter got a hold of it around February 2018 and started using the image along with an explanation of bad behavior or motives.
##### PaulFaire/TheThings // TheThings.com
## By age 35âŚ
Following a 2018 MarketWatch article that implied an unrealistic amount of savings one should have in their 30s, people on [Twitter began responding](https://mashable.com/2018/05/21/savings-before-35-meme/) to the article by sharing all the other things you should ideally have by age 35 (from the hilariously true to the ridiculous). Advice on avocado toast, Pokemon, and drawers full of miscellaneous chargers followed.
##### George Aylett // Twitter
## Donât say it
The âdonât say itâ meme details the relatable conversations people have between themselves and their brains, from bringing up awkward conversations topics to resisting âthatâs what she saidâ jokes. The first tweet with the meme showed up in 2010, but later resurfaced in 2017 and showed an inner struggle between whether or not to start a conversation with a taxi driver.
##### MILOSLAVvonRANDA // WW Interweb
## Handshakes
The 1987 film âPredatorâ starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers contained within it what could be the manliest handshake of all time, and in 2007 it began gaining traction on YouTube. After multiple videos and fan art paying tribute to the handshake became popular in the following years, [object labeling](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/object-labeling) memes using the handshake as a [background to agreements](https://time.com/5373564/handshake-meme-twitter/) began to arise in 2018.
##### KnowYourMeme
## Elon Musk
There have been several memes revolving around the tech entrepreneur Elon Musk throughout the years, especially [following his Twitter request](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1055517521082609664?lang=en) for âdank memesâ in October 2018. One of the most popular Musk memes uses an image of the billionaire smoking during a podcast interview.
##### tamouq // reddit
## Mocking Spongebob
âMocking Spongebobâ uses an image from a 2012 episode of Spongebob Squarepants to make fun of another personâs opinion on the internet. The earliest uses of this meme came in 2017 on Twitter, quickly gaining traction and becoming one of the most popular (and effective) ways to [insult someone online](https://www.mandatory.com/fun/1457183-spongebob-mocking-meme).
##### tcgreywold // imgflip
## Roll Safe
In 2016 a British mockumentary starring actor Kayode Ewumi called âHood Documentaryâ was uploaded onto YouTube by BBC. Soon after, people on the internet began using a screen-grabbed image of Ewumi pointing to his temple like he had a good idea to reversely joke about [bad decisions and poor thinking](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/02/roll-safe-the-guy-tapping-head-meme-explained.html).
##### Kyle MacLachlan // Twitter
## Thank u, next
When Ariana Grande released her single âThank U, Nextâ about her ex-boyfriends in early 2019, fans quickly began creating [memes out of the lyrics](https://hellogiggles.com/news/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-memes/). Aside from just using the title phrase to demonstrate being over something and moving on, the internet also used the lyrics to compare three things that taught them love, patience, and pain to mimic the chorus.
##### lil uzi hurt // Twitter
## Letâs get this bread
People on the internet use the âLetâs get this breadâ meme ironically (usually it is slang for earning money) to make fun of people or themselves for [trying too hard](https://www.buzzfeed.com/pedrofequiere/31-of-the-most-hilarious-lets-get-this-bread-memes-found-on) to earn money. In 2018 the meme exploded into everything from mockeries of the gluten-intolerant to references to Olive Garden.
##### Comics and Memes
## Surprised pikachu
A screen-grabbed image of [Pikachu looking surprised](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/surprised-pikachu) from an episode of âPokemonâ caught the attention of Twitter in late 2018. For the next few months, the image blew up when people started using it as a meme for doing something with an obvious outcome.
##### Warren Baker // The Blogging Baker
## Condescending Willy Wonka
The meme uses an image of Gene Wilderâs 1971 Willy Wonka character to say something [patronizing or mock someone](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/condescending-wonka-creepy-wonka). First used on Gizmodo and Tumblr as early as 2011, the image has become a common condescending response online.
##### Pink Diamond // Pinterest
## Jason Momoa sneaking up on Henry Cavill
Jason Momoa and Henry Cavill began a friendship while filming âJustice Leagueâ in 2016, and when a photo was taken of Momoa sneaking up on Cavill on the red carpet the same year, it quickly went viral. On the last day of 2017, a Facebook account posted a meme using the image, labeling Momoa as â2018.â The [meme gained popularity](https://www.instyle.com/news/jason-momoa-henry-cavill-bromance) throughout the following months as people labeled the two as different things creeping up on each other.
##### sailorfemme // Twitter
## Exhausted Spongebob
In yet another Spongebob Squarepants meme, âexhausted Spongebobâ uses an image from a 1999 episode where the character is leaning against a rock, naked and out of breath. Twitter began using the screengrab as an attachment to tweets around March 2018 [about being tired](https://www.thisisinsider.com/tired-spongebob-meme-explained-2018-3).
##### KnowYourMeme
## Classical art memes
There is a lot of unique classical art out there, so of course the internet has to [find the most hilarious](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/classical-art-memes) and wacky pieces to turn into memes. While art-related videos and other online art parodies can be traced back to 2004, the more recognizable memes gained popularity starting in 2013.
##### BestLifeOnline
## Worldâs most interesting man
Most people will recognize the [âworldâs most interesting manâ](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world) (played by actor Jonathan Goldsmith) from the Dos Equis beer commercials that began in 2008. The meme usually uses the image of Goldsmith as a well-dressed gentleman with an adaptation of his catchphrase âI donât always X, but when I do, I Yâ and began to gain popularity as early as 2010.
##### Stumpy // Twitter
## Guy blinking nervously
One of the most popular memes of 2017, âguy blinking nervouslyâ is usually used in GIF form [to demonstrate bafflement](https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/blinking-white-guy-meme-drew-scanlon) and being caught unaware. The GIF initially came from a clip of a video producer when his co-worker said something inappropriate accidentally.
##### meme.xyz
## Hard to swallow pills
The âhard to swallow pillsâ meme uses two stock photos from WikiHow that were first posted to the internet in August 2017. It didnât take long for a Redditor to photoshop the image of the pill bottle to read âhard to swallow pillsâ and use it as a meme to [illustrate a difficult truth.](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/hard-to-swallow-pills)
##### TheStarVenge // reddit
## Who would win?
The internet has taken the childhood game of âwho would winâ to a whole new level with this meme. Used to [pose hypothetical battles](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/who-would-win) between two opposing subjects, the âwho would winâ meme is said to have begun in 2014 when a 4chan user posted the meme using two video games as opponents.
##### bonkers4memes
## How I sleep knowingâŚ
The classic rhetorical question âHow do you sleep at night?â was the inspiration for this meme. The more modern rendition shows a picture of a person or animal sleeping soundly with different versions of the words: âHow I sleep knowingâŚâ This usually refers to something that most people [feel guilty about or worry](https://onsizzle.com/t/how-i-sleep-knowing?s=new) about (and therefore lose sleep over).
##### YouTube
## Kardashians
Ever since the show âKeeping Up with the Kardashiansâ first aired in 2007, people fell in love with watching the [familyâs antics](https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a14476872/best-kardashian-kuwtk-memes-jokes/). They have all been the subject of a huge number of memes, with some of the most popular ones using screen shots from the show (usually of a meltdown or overreaction).
##### TodayYearsOld // Twitter
## âTodayâ days old
âToday days oldâ is used as a [response to any random realization](https://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanschocket2/eighteen-times-twitter-was-a-haven-of-useless-but). It first came from posts asking âHow old were you when you realized X?â with someone responding: âI was today years old.â This can be a fact both well-known or more obscure.
##### toxic\_ideology // reddit
## Pepe
Pepe the frog is a fictional character that first appeared in a 2005 comic, and has gone through multiple transformations since then. Starting out as a positive meme known as âfeel good frogâ in 2008, Pepe was edited into a more sad or angry meme a few years later. By 2015, what was initially intended to symbolize a peaceful way of life by the artist became twisted by several hate groups causing the image to be added to the Anti-Defamation Leagueâs [database of hate symbols](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37493165) in 2016.
##### MegaMailer
## Crying Michael Jordan
Taken from an image of the famous athleteâs emotional speech during his 2009 induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, this meme is usually used to convey a fanâs disappointment when his particular team loses or performs poorly. The meme has been around since first appearing on MemeCrunch in 2012 and gained an official fan page on Tumblr in 2015. [Jordan has reportedly](https://www.buzzfeed.com/krystieyandoli/michael-jordan-apparently-thinks-the-meme-of-his-crying-face) found the entire fad pretty funny.
##### Tumblr
## \*Slaps roof of car\*
âSlaps roof of carâ can be traced [back to a 2014 tweet](https://twitter.com/OBiiieeee/status/517075789880520705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E517075789880520705&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailydot.com%2Funclick%2Fslaps-roof-of-car-meme%2F) of a ridiculous car salesmen conversation overheard and started blowing up in 2018 after being paired with an illustrated stock image of a car salesman showing off a car. The meme has seen many photoshopped variations, but usually utilizes the phrase âThis bad boy can fit so much X in it.â
##### memegenerator
## Awkward little girl
Also known as âSide Eyeing Chloe,â this meme can be used in pretty much any awkward situation. The original photo came from a [video of a little girl](https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a9929919/this-is-what-the-side-eye-meme-girl-looks-like-now/) giving an unimpressed and hesitant look after being told about a surprise trip to Disneyland in 2013.
##### 99flamey1 // imgur
## Krusty Krab vs. Chum Bucket
Just about every âSpongebob Squarepantsâ fan knows about the intense rivalry between the Krusty Krab and the Chum Bucket restaurants, but the former usually reigns supreme. The meme [uses photoshopped images](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/03/the-krusty-krabchum-bucket-rivalry-spongebob-meme-explained.html) of both cartoon restaurants in order to project two rivals, such as sports teams and TV shows.
##### Havokimin // College Humor
## Elf on the shelf rhyming
The âElf on the Shelfâ tradition began when parents would put an elf doll in the mantle during the holiday season and tell their children that it was watching them be naughty or nice. [Toward the end of 2017](https://mashable.com/2017/09/18/the-elf-on-the-shelf-meme/#lmn6P_D4SkqD), it became popular to post images of funny things that rhyme sitting on top of other things that rhyme using the phrase âYouâve heard of elf on the shelf, now get ready for X.â
##### BlownIntoSpace // imgur
## One does not simplyâŚ
Fans of âLord of the Ringsâ wonât need an explanation for this meme. Actor Sean Bean played Boromir in the movies, and one of his famous lines, âOne does not simply walk into Mordor,â became the inspiration for a meme that [plays on the phrase](https://www.pinterest.com/motomov/one-does-not-simply-memes/). Bean himself even admitted to seeing a big influx of the memes online during a 2015 interview.
##### bonkers4memes
## I am a man/woman looking forâŚ.
After a 2017 tweet that posed a questionnaire using the classic dating template âI am a man/woman looking for a man/womanâ about Carly Rae Jepsen, a meme was born. Since then, it [has become popular](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/im-a-man-woman-looking-for) to use the format to make funny declarations.
##### Fossbytes
## Success kid
One of the most popular memes of all time, âsuccess kidâ uses a 2007 photo taken of a little boy with a clenched fist and determined expression. It is almost always used to display small successful moments or âwinsâ that happen to someone throughout a normal day like getting an extra chicken nugget in a fast-food meal.
##### OverlyAttachedGirlfriend.com
## Overly attached girlfriend
âOverly attached girlfriendâ began in 2012 when a Redditor took a screenshot of an image he found comical from a video of a girl singing a rendition of Justin Bieberâs song âBoyfriend.â It quickly began making its rounds on the internet, [using captions portraying](https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/06/112685/laina-morris-overly-attached-girlfriend-meme) her as a stereotypical overly attached girlfriend.
##### memegenerator
## Donald Trump yelling at lawnmower boy
The internet just couldnât help itself after images surfaced of a little boy mowing the lawn at the White House completely ignoring Trump. The kid was apparently [so focused on the job](https://www.romper.com/p/these-memes-of-frank-the-lawn-mower-kid-ignoring-trump-will-make-you-lol-2367970) that he didnât notice Trump when he came out to greet him, forcing Trump to yell loudly over the sound of the lawnmower and making for some great meme fuel.
##### KnowYourMeme
## Left exit 12
The âLeft exit 12â meme uses a series of screen grabs from a 2013 YouTube video showing a car drifting dangerously into an exit ramp. People began [photoshopping the exit sign](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/left-exit-12-off-ramp) (exit 12) to say comical things that one might swerve off the highway in order to get to.
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