Know Your Meme

What Know Your Meme actually is

A research wiki that traces internet phenomena back to their first appearance, recording dates, original posts, spread timelines and examples. Entries are reviewed and marked either confirmed or still under research, which makes the site a reference rather than a joke repository.

Why it is worth your time

Entries cite the original forum post and its exact date, so you can watch a joke travel from one obscure thread to a national advertising campaign in about four years.

Common questions

Is Know Your Meme free?

Yes. Know Your Meme is free and does not ask you to register or hand over an email address before you can use it.

How long does Know Your Meme take?

Clear your evening. We warned you. We file it under "Rabbit hole" — the footnoted origin story of every image you have seen.

Does Know Your Meme work on a phone?

Yes. Know Your Meme works on a phone as well as it does on a laptop.

What kind of site is Know Your Meme?

We list it under Wiki Dives — enter for one fact, leave two hours later. Entries cite the original forum post and its exact date, so you can watch a joke travel from one obscure thread to a national advertising campaign in about four years.