Meme names are everywhere. Memes like Roll Safe, Success Kid, This Is Fine, Hide the Pain Harold, Drakeposting, You Know I Had to Do It to Em, Mocking SpongeBob, Surprised Pikachu, Expanding Brain, and Galaxy Brain have become an integral part of internet culture.
These viral images and formats allow people to communicate humor, sarcasm, and emotions instantly across social media. Each meme carries its unique message and purpose—Success Kid represents small victories, while This Is Fine humorously portrays denial in chaotic situations.
Roll Safe and Drakeposting are perfect for illustrating clever or ironic logic, whereas Surprised Pikachu captures moments of predictable shock. Over the years, these memes have transcended their original contexts, being adapted into new trends and cultural references.
Best 15 Meme Names
1. Doge
Doge is one of the most famous internet memes featuring a Shiba Inu dog with a comical expression. The meme typically includes multicolored text in Comic Sans font, written in broken English, representing the dog’s internal monologue.
Phrases like “such wow,” “very excite,” and “much cool” became iconic. The meme originated from a 2010 photo of a Shiba Inu named Kabosu, gaining traction on Reddit, Tumblr, and 4chan before becoming a widespread cultural phenomenon.
Over time, Doge evolved into various spin-offs, including Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that started as a joke but gained real-world value.
2. Pepe the Frog
Pepe the Frog is a widely recognized internet meme that originated from Matt Furie’s comic Boy’s Club. The character, a green anthropomorphic frog, became popular in the mid-2000s when a panel featuring him saying “feels good man” was shared online.
Over time, Pepe evolved into various iterations, representing emotions like sadness, smugness, and anger. The meme saw massive use on 4chan, Reddit, and Twitter, eventually spawning countless variations.
However, Pepe also became controversial when some extremist groups co-opted the image, leading Furie to reclaim the character with positive and apolitical messages.
3. Woman Yelling at a Cat
The “Woman Yelling at a Cat” meme is a two-panel reaction image featuring a scene from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and a confused-looking white cat named Smudge. The first panel shows reality TV star Taylor Armstrong emotionally yelling, while the second panel features Smudge sitting at a dinner table with a displeased expression.
This meme became widely popular in 2019 as a way to depict arguments, misunderstandings, or exaggerated reactions. The contrast between Armstrong’s intense emotion and Smudge’s indifferent expression makes the meme highly versatile.
It has been used to illustrate dramatic overreactions, online debates, and humorous misunderstandings. The meme became a staple in internet culture, with numerous adaptations and remixes across social media.
4. Distracted Boyfriend
The “Distracted Boyfriend” meme is a stock photo turned viral sensation that humorously depicts infidelity, distraction, and shifting interests.
The image, taken by Spanish photographer Antonio Guillem, shows a man walking with his girlfriend while turning his head to admire another woman, much to his girlfriend’s shock and dismay.
First surfacing online in 2015, the meme exploded in popularity around 2017 as people used it to illustrate various scenarios involving changing allegiances, temptations, or misplaced priorities.
5. Mocking SpongeBob
“Mocking SpongeBob” is a meme that features SpongeBob SquarePants mimicking or sarcastically repeating statements in a mocking tone. The image is taken from the SpongeBob SquarePants episode “Little Yellow Book,” where SpongeBob gets on all fours, making a distorted face with his beak open and arms bent.
The meme, which began circulating in 2017, is often accompanied by alternating capital and lowercase letters to mimic a mocking or condescending tone. This format is commonly used to imitate arguments, online debates, or instances of hypocrisy.
Its humor lies in how exaggerated and petty the mocking can be, making it one of the most effective ways to respond to foolish statements. Due to its massive popularity, “Mocking SpongeBob” has been used in a variety of situations, including sports, politics, and pop culture.
6. Galaxy Brain
The “Galaxy Brain” meme is a humorous and exaggerated representation of intelligence and enlightenment. It consists of a series of images, typically increasing in complexity, showing different brain scans or cosmic imagery.
The first panel usually depicts a small, inactive brain, while subsequent panels display increasingly larger, glowing, or cosmic-like brains, often symbolizing an escalation in thinking. The joke comes from the fact that the “bigger brain” stages often represent ideas that are absurd, nonsensical, or ironically less intelligent.
Originating around 2017, the meme became widely used to humorously compare different opinions, overcomplicated logic, or unconventional beliefs. It has been adapted into countless variations, including text-only versions and surreal edits.
7. Is This a Pigeon?
“Is This a Pigeon?” is a reaction meme taken from the 1991 anime The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird. In the scene, a humanoid robot mistakes a butterfly for a pigeon, asking, “Is this a pigeon?” The moment became an internet joke around 2011, used to humorously depict misunderstandings, mislabeling, or clueless behavior.
The meme typically involves replacing the butterfly with various objects, while the text is modified to fit different contexts. Over time, it has been used in political discussions, social commentary, and pop culture references.
The humor of “Is This a Pigeon?” lies in its representation of people confidently misunderstanding something, making it a perfect reaction image for online debates or clueless statements.
8. Expanding Brain
The “Expanding Brain” meme is a variation of the “Galaxy Brain” format, showing increasing levels of enlightenment, from a basic brain to a cosmic, universe-spanning intellect. The meme is often used to humorously depict different levels of thought, decision-making, or absurd logic.
The joke is that the most “enlightened” stage often represents an idea that is not necessarily smarter but is exaggeratedly complex or nonsensical. The format has been widely adapted to illustrate everything from pop culture references to philosophical debates.
The humor comes from how the final stage is sometimes ironically the least logical, highlighting the absurdity of overthinking or unconventional wisdom. Since its rise in the mid-2010s, “Expanding Brain” has remained a popular way to compare ideas in a visually engaging and humorous way.
9. Surprised Pikachu
“Surprised Pikachu” is a reaction meme featuring Pikachu from Pokémon with a shocked expression. It is typically used to represent someone being surprised by a completely predictable outcome.
First appearing in 2018, the meme became widely used on Twitter and Reddit, often paired with captions describing ironic or self-inflicted situations. The humor lies in its simplicity—people express shock over consequences they should have seen coming.
Due to its versatility, it has been applied to many scenarios, ranging from personal experiences to politics and pop culture. The image of Pikachu’s wide-eyed face perfectly captures the emotion of disbelief, making it a go-to reaction image.
10. Roll Safe
Roll Safe is a popular internet meme featuring actor and comedian Kayode Ewumi, who plays the character Reece Simpson (a.k.a. Roll Safe) in #HoodDocumentary, a 2016 BBC Three mockumentary.
The meme originates from a scene where Roll Safe taps his temple with a smug smile, suggesting a clever or “smart” idea—though often, the logic behind it is flawed or ironic.
The meme exploded in popularity in 2017 and is frequently used to humorously depict poor decision-making, self-justifications, or moments of ironic wisdom.
11. You Know I Had to Do It to Em
“You Know I Had to Do It to Em” is a viral meme featuring a photo of a young man named Lucky Luciano standing on a sidewalk in Florida, wearing a pastel outfit with his hands clasped in front of him.
The image was first posted on Twitter in 2014 but gained meme status around 2016 when people began using it to humorously represent confidence, smugness, or an inevitable situation.
The meme is often captioned with variations of the original phrase, implying that something was unavoidable or premeditated. Over time, the image has been edited into different backgrounds and pop culture references, making it a highly adaptable meme.
12. Hide the Pain Harold
“Hide the Pain Harold” is an internet meme featuring stock photos of a middle-aged man with a forced, pained smile. The man, whose real name is András Arató, was originally a stock model but gained viral fame around 2011 when internet users noticed his smile appeared strained, as if concealing deep discomfort.
The meme is widely used to represent situations where someone is pretending to be happy while internally suffering. Common captions include relatable workplace frustrations, awkward social interactions, or suppressed regrets.
As the meme gained popularity, Arató embraced his internet fame, even appearing in interviews and commercials. His willingness to participate in meme culture made “Hide the Pain Harold” even more iconic.
13. This Is Fine
“This Is Fine” is a popular internet meme featuring a two-panel comic of a cartoon dog sitting in a burning room, calmly sipping coffee while saying, “This is fine.” The meme originates from a 2013 Gunshow comic by artist KC Green.
It became widely used to humorously depict people ignoring or accepting dire situations, whether in politics, work, relationships, or everyday life. Over time, the meme evolved, with edits showing the dog eventually reacting to the flames or burning up entirely.
The phrase “This is fine” became synonymous with self-denial, blind optimism, or coping with chaos. Due to its relatability, the meme remains highly relevant, especially in discussions about global crises, personal struggles, or absurd circumstances.
14. Drakeposting
“Drakeposting” is a meme format derived from Drake’s 2015 music video for Hotline Bling. The meme consists of two panels: in the first, Drake makes a disgusted face and turns away, rejecting something, while in the second, he smiles approvingly and points, signifying approval.
This format became a widely used way to compare two contrasting choices, often representing preferences, trends, or subjective opinions. Initially popular on Reddit and Twitter, the meme quickly spread across the internet, adapted for various topics, including politics, pop culture, and personal habits.
The simplicity and flexibility of “Drakeposting” make it a timeless reaction meme, with new variations constantly emerging. Despite being nearly a decade old, the meme remains relevant, proving the lasting impact of Drake’s Hotline Bling visuals.
15. Success Kid
“Success Kid” is an internet meme featuring a determined-looking toddler clutching a fistful of sand, symbolizing triumph or overcoming obstacles. The image, taken in 2007 by Laney Griner, features her son, Sammy Griner, and became a meme around 2010.
It is often captioned with stories of unexpected victories, small wins, or moments of good fortune, such as “Didn’t study for the test… still passed.” The meme gained mainstream recognition, even being used in political campaigns and charity fundraisers.
Sammy’s family later leveraged his internet fame to help fund his father’s kidney transplant, proving the meme’s real-world impact.
Frequently Asked Questions About Meme Names
What are meme names?
Meme names refer to the popular titles or nicknames given to internet memes, usually based on a defining image, character, or phrase. Examples include Doge, Pepe the Frog, and Mocking SpongeBob.
How do memes get their names?
Most memes are named based on their visual elements, origin, or catchphrase. For example, Surprised Pikachu comes from the shocked expression of Pikachu in a Pokémon episode, while Roll Safe is named after the gesture made by the character in the meme.
What is the oldest internet meme?
One of the oldest internet memes is the Dancing Baby, which dates back to the late 1990s. However, memes as a cultural phenomenon existed in different forms even before the internet.
Are meme names official?
Not really! Meme names are usually created by internet users, and over time, they become widely recognized. Some names may vary slightly depending on the community or platform.
Can memes have multiple names?
Yes! Some memes are known by different names across various communities. For example, Expanding Brain is sometimes called Galaxy Brain, and Woman Yelling at a Cat is also known as Smudge the Cat Meme.
Conclusion
Internet memes have become an essential part of digital culture, shaping how people communicate, express emotions, and engage with humor online.
From classic reaction images like Roll Safe and Success Kid to more situational memes like This Is Fine and Hide the Pain Harold, each meme carries its unique message and adaptability.
These viral images and formats transcend language barriers, making them universally recognizable and relatable. Memes like Drakeposting and You Know I Had to Do It to Em showcase how a single frame or phrase can evolve into endless variations, reflecting societal trends and personal experiences.
