What Defines a Meme? The Origins and Development of Memes Unraveled
Over the last quarter-century, memes have emerged as one of the most prevalent mediums for humor and digital interaction.
Memes can express anything, and they’re embraced by everyone, from Gen Alpha to boomers, even serving as a modern tool for politicians and brands. Once a niche online trend, memes have now evolved into an essential part of understanding and navigating social media culture.
The evolution of memes has a rich and intricate history that’s challenging to condense, but this concise summary traces their development over the years, starting with the term’s definition and roots.
What Defines a Meme?
Defining a meme is more complex than it appears. At its simplest, some may describe memes as content that goes viral on the internet. While accurate, this only addresses the digital side of meme culture. In truth, the concept of a “meme” is much wider, including nearly anything transmitted through human communication, whether online or offline.
The word “meme,” originating from the Greek term “mimema,” which translates to “that which is copied,” was introduced by evolutionary biologist and writer Richard Dawkins in his 1976 publication.Genes Act in Their Own Interest, emphasizing the role of self-replication in the process of natural selection.
In the book, Dawkins proposed that biological information is not the only thing subject to natural selection—any replicating entity, including ideas and beliefs, would also face selective pressures. This applies broadly, whether it’s a scientific theory, a slang expression, or even an amusing cat image.
Memes undergo a process known as “memetic evolution,” where they reproduce, adapt, and react to selective forces. This phenomenon is most prominently observed in digital spaces, where memes have continuously transformed and diversified. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to recognize that memes aren’t exclusive to the online world, as many early examples existed long before the internet.
The term “meme” itself has undergone memetic transformation in recent decades. Today, it’s frequently employed as a verb, with phrases such as “,” “well memed,” and “memeing” growing more widespread in digital conversations.
Individuals who create or distribute memes often identify as “memers,” while those highly skilled in the art may refer to themselves as “memelords.” The emergence of specialized meme classifications and labels, such as “dank memes,” “deep-fried memes,” “moldy memes,” and “wholesome memes,” has also become notable.
The transformation of the term was not just crucial as memes gained widespread popularity online but also inevitable. It serves as an ideal illustration of how virtually anything can undergo memetic evolution. But what were some of the first instances of memes?
What Are Some of the Earliest Known Memes? (1920s–1990s)
Kilroy Was Here, a graffiti sketch frequently drawn by American troops in different places throughout World War II, is often regarded as an early version of a viral meme, similar to the content shared widely on modern social platforms.
Through the organic process of memetic development, soldiers encountered and likely shared the Kilroy sketch, deciding to reproduce it to expand its influence, ultimately transforming it into a lasting emblem of WWII. Despite its age, the meme aligns nearly flawlessly with the characteristics of a “contemporary internet meme.”
The same routine unfolds daily on the internet: A meme account, group, or individual comes across a humorous meme, shares it, and as it gains traction, this cycle naturally sparks more reposts and variations.
A noteworthy instance is a 1921 comic strip that humorously contrasts a person’s expectations when taking a photo with the actual result, serving as an early form of meme. However, this case is somewhat arguable since the image didn’t achieve widespread recognition until it resurfaced online.
Inspired by Kilroy, the phrase Frodo Lives also gained popularity as a meme during the 1960s after the paperback edition of *The Lord of the Rings* was published.The Lord of the RingsThe expression appeared everywhere—on bumper stickers, badges, graffiti-covered walls, and beyond.
“Frodo Lives” is widely regarded as an element of hippie counterculture, often associated withThe Lord of the RingsAt the time, it was far less popular until the paperback edition came out. Among the numerous memes that have proliferated in this manner, Kilroy and Frodo Lives are just two, with a more recent and notable instance being “The Manny Will Be Televised.”
Despite understanding early memes and their evolution, pinpointing the very first true meme remains a major challenge. While the internet offers a more confined space compared to the vast scope of human history, identifying the original internet meme is still surprisingly difficult.
Although a significant part of the early internet has been preserved in various forms, an even greater portion has faded into obscurity. Memes often originate in unlikely corners, whether in niche forums, chat rooms, or abandoned websites. Nevertheless, we have a fairly clear understanding of some of the web’s first memes.
In the realm of the internet, two memes are frequently acknowledged as the earliest, though this claim often sparks debate. The initial one is Godwin’s Law, a principle suggesting that as an online discussion progresses, the likelihood of someone mentioning Hitler or the Nazis significantly increases.
Initially, the law applied to Usenet discussions and emerged in 1990, but it rose to significant prominence during the mid-to-late 1990s.
ASCII art and emoticons can be viewed as some of the earliest internet memes. The idea of ASCII art, creating pictures from letters and numbers, dates back to the late 19th century when individuals crafted images on typewriters. By the 1990s, this form of expression had achieved widespread memetic popularity on the internet and continues to thrive in the present day.
The term “LOL,” which stands for “laugh out loud,” is believed to have originated in its present form during the 1980s. It was first used on a bulletin board system, an early online communication platform, in Alberta, Canada.
The 1980s version emerged as a cultural shift from the era of handwritten letters, where LOL originally meant “lots of love” or “lots of luck.” Over time, it underwent a transformation much like the word “meme,” eventually becoming a verb in phrases such as “I lol’d.”
In 1996, the “Dancing Baby” emerged as one of the earliest viral memes to reach mainstream popularity, fueled by a widely shared animation featuring a diaper-clad infant spinning in circles. The phenomenon gained traction through email forwards and grew so pervasive that it earned a mention in a popular TV show.The Simpsons is an animated television series created by Matt Groening. It follows the lives of the Simpson family—Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie—as they navigate the ups and downs of life in the fictional town of Springfield. Known for its humor, satire, and cultural commentary, the show has become a long-running and influential staple of American television.in the year 2000.
In 1998, All Your Base emerged as one of the earliest viral gaming memes, while the Hampster Dance rose to prominence as a major meme the following year in 1999.
These memes were undeniably more basic compared to those that trend in the 2020s, yet they laid the foundation for modern online humor and interaction. This era was marked by trial and error, and numerous features that popularized these early memes still appear in today’s most recognizable formats.
How Have Memes Changed Over the 2000s?
2000-2009
Memes underwent significant transformation during the initial years of the 2000s, a period often regarded as the birth of the modern “internet meme.” Emerging from the ’90s, internet culture evolved with shorthand expressions like “ROFL” and “LOL,” while trends such as LOL ASCII gave rise to iconic memes like the ROFLcopter.
Memes began featuring celebrities and pop culture figures, ranging from bizarre cases such as Bert is Evil to iconic stars like Chuck Norris.
Viral videos quickly became some of the most prominent memes, particularly after YouTube’s launch in December 2005, introducing a wave of rapid-fire meme trends unlike anything before. From 2004 to 2009, iconic hits such as Chocolate Rain, Numa Numa, Salad Fingers, Charlie Bit My Finger, Keyboard Cat, and the enduring phenomenon of Rickrolling emerged, fueled by the growing ubiquity of online videos.
In this period, memes began spreading beyond the internet, reaching mainstream audiences like never before, especially those originating from viral videos. Even prominent celebrities, such as talk show hosts like Ellen Degeneres, were seen responding to memes on television, showcasing the early stages of their rising influence in mainstream conversations.
Certainly, image macro formats continued to thrive on platforms such as 4chan, where memes like LOLcats gained significant popularity by 2005. However, the dominance of viral videos over online audiences during that period was undeniable.
In the late 2000s, the Advice Animal and Rage Comic formats propelled image macros to unprecedented popularity, setting the stage for some of the most impactful meme formats of the following decade. During this time, memetic figures like Slender Man also emerged, marking the beginning of a fresh wave of creepypastas.
Loss remains one of the most enduring and impactful memes even now. As one of the first viral memes, it embedded itself so deeply in online culture that even the faintest outline of its panels turned into a widely recognized symbol on its own.
For those deeply immersed in internet culture, the form of Loss emerged as the definitive challenge to gauge one’s understanding of memes, paving the path for future formats such as “things that resemble” long before they became mainstream.Among Us.”
2010-2020
By 2010, memes had firmly established themselves as a dominant style of humor and interaction online, particularly among those familiar with them. Doge, still regarded as one of the greatest memes ever, emerged in late 2010 and transformed the digital space, later sparking the creation of Doge comics and Dogelore as it rose to become one of the internet’s most recognizable symbols.
During this period, Rage Comics remained a dominant force online, introducing widely recognized imagery such as the Trollface. From 2010 to 2014, memes like Bad Luck Brian and Scumbag Steve emerged as cultural phenomena, reinforcing the notion—alongside Rage Comics—that relatability equates to meme success.
Around 2013, memes began shifting toward a darker, more ironic and edgy tone.
Pepe the Frog, primarily known for the “Feels Bad Man” meme since 2009, evolved into a popular way to express more complex concepts, with figures such as Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, and Donald Trump adopting it during the mid-2010s. The character also faced significant backlash, becoming entangled in online conflicts amid claims it was co-opted by far-right groups.
Memes in the late 2010s grew increasingly bizarre, using shock tactics alongside irrational visuals and components to generate comedy.
Nostalgic animated films such asShrek and In the animated film *Bee Movie*, a young bee named Barry B. Benson ventures beyond the hive and discovers the complexities of human life, leading to an unexpected legal battle over honey production. His journey challenges the norms of bee society and sparks a series of events that reshape the relationship between bees and humans. The story blends humor and adventure while exploring themes of individuality, environmental responsibility, and the consequences of disrupting natural systems.Doge rose to fame as a comic icon, meme legends were born, the usual MLG edit components turned into satirical meme material, and Harambe the Gorilla’s tragic death in 2016 left an indelible mark on social media.
Shortly after Harambe’s passing, Donald Trump assumed the presidency, a period that also saw a surge in anti-SJW memes, cringe compilations, and Karen-related content. Memes and viral formats spread more rapidly and intensely than in previous years, with many becoming increasingly obscure to those unfamiliar with the trends.
This period ultimately gave rise to what is often regarded as the “surreal era” of memes from 2017 to 2020, characterized by trends such as Lord Marquaad E, Ugandan Knuckles, the B emoji, and deep-fried memes.
During this period, numerous meme enthusiasts appeared to discard all rationality, pushing to craft the most absurd formats imaginable—likely in an attempt to recapture the exclusive, niche humor characteristic of early memes.
2020s
The early 2020s are often regarded as the “” meme era. Over the last four or five years, popular memes like Wojak Comics, Trollface Incidents, or Chad vs. Virgins have carried a notably darker and more introspective vibe.
They draw inspiration from proven meme strategies, including relatability, familiar symbols, and even absurdity, but numerous creators have moved away from surrealism to prioritize cultural critique as digital culture wars have grown more mainstream.
Depression became a popular subject in memes during the 2010s, but its visibility has grown even more prominently in the 2020s. Nowadays, memes frequently serve as tools for genuine cultural commentary, delivered with humor or provocation. While surreal and absurd memes continue to thrive in their own niches, they often lack the appeal of those that boldly express opinions, which are increasingly favored.
One of the most distinctive formats to emerge during the 2020s wasAmong Us remains a popular multiplayer game where players work together on a spaceship while identifying impostors hidden within the crew.Launched in 2020, the game soared to unprecedented popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, achieving such widespread saturation that it turned into one of history’s most iconic post-ironic memes. These absurd and far-flung memes mocked players obsessed with the game, yet paradoxically ensured its continued cultural relevance.
This pattern recurred with movies such asMorbius, which internet culture refused to dismiss as merely a poor film, transforming it into a meme phenomenon rather than a cinematic work. The widespread influence of social media and memes enabled both critique and enthusiastic adoption of such properties to escalate to unprecedented levels, for better or worse.
Conversely, popular series such asA man transforms from a meek high school chemistry teacher into a ruthless drug kingpin after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. and The Sopranos is a groundbreaking television series that follows the life of Tony Soprano, a New Jersey-based mob boss, as he navigates the complexities of leading a criminal organization while dealing with personal and family struggles. The show blends elements of crime drama and psychological exploration, offering a deep character study of its protagonist. Created by David Chase, The Sopranos premiered on HBO and is widely regarded as one of the greatest TV shows of all time, influencing countless series that followed. Its rich storytelling, complex characters, and innovative narrative techniques have left a lasting impact on the medium.turned into ironic meme sensations as methods to honor them well beyond their conclusions.
Artificial intelligence is currently gaining prominence, reshaping the landscape of memes in the process.
Many are resisting it despite its continuous monthly improvements. Yet, AI has produced some of the most viral memes of the 2020s and has recently emerged as a leading tool for meme creation.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s influence on meme culture is becoming increasingly evident as platforms like TikTok rise to prominence in the digital space, accelerating the speed at which memes emerge and fade.
In the 2020s, memes have become more diverse than before, and whether you’re part of any fandom or prefer a specific meme genre, a quick search will lead you to precisely what you want.
Predicting the future of memes over the next ten years is impossible, but one certainty stands—memes will continue to dominate online communication for the foreseeable future.
To explore the complete background of memes, refer to Know Your Meme’s detailed encyclopedia entry for further insights.
Associated Topics(47)
-
Artificial Intelligence Voices / AI-Generated Voice
-
Generation Alpha / Gen Alpha
-
Morbius (2022 Movie)
-
Mischievous Trollface Events
