This amazing decade that we have grown up in is now coming to an end and it’s time to celebrate. Memes have been a huge part of getting older, and as we’ve changed over the years, so have our memes. Here are the top 10 memes of the decade that have made us laugh until we cried.

Harambe 

In June of 2016, a gorilla named Harambe was killed at the Cincinnati zoo, after attacking a child, but he will live forever in our hearts. He became a meme after his death when people ironically said that they missed him. 

This sparked outrage on Facebook in support of the zoo for putting him down, which in turn made more people post support for the deceased gorilla.

Spongebob

Every few months or so it seems that a new Spongebob meme appears. From confused Mr. Krabs, caveman SpongeBob and even to mocking Spongebob, he has played a role in comedy since the dawn of memes.

 Spongebob has been used to express an array of emotions of the years, mainly confusion, but also for ridiculing, and expressing how ridiculous an argument is. 

Distracted Boyfriend

Distracted Boyfriend began with someone pointing out how funny this stock image set was because the woman was walking, holding hands with her boyfriend while he’s turned around looking at another woman. 

She is shocked when she turns to him checking out someone else. Her face became the center of many memes where people write text over it and change the context to fit their meme. Like instead of watching one of the many movies on Netflix, watching the same three films over and over again.

Confused Nick Young

In 2014, a YouTuber, Cassy Athens made a video named Thru the Lens where she features a day in the life of an NBA player, Nick Young. 

He made a perplexed expression after his mother stated that he was “a clown” as a kid. The meme or gif features Nick Young with a bunch of question marks around his head.

 Still used today, most people use this when they’re confused about something someone just said to them.

And His Name Is…John Cena    

In 2015, someone edited several videos to make John Cena’s introduction appear unexpectedly at the end of videos. John Cena’s introduction made it from him walking into the arena to being played randomly by teenagers to be funny.

 Often used in scenes where someone was about to reveal their true self, it was in fact, John Cena who appeared instead. John Cena’s song even made it on to vine when a kid played in on two recorders, through his nose. 

Is This a Pigeon? 

 Originally from “The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird,” a 1991 anime, it became a meme in 2011 when someone started making fun of the translation from Japanese to English, although the translation was correct. 

The character, an android, mistakes a butterfly for a pigeon while trying to pretend that he’s a human. The meme grew to include people putting different situations on top of it. Even Netflix got involved by making one that confused a 28-year-old adult with a teen. 

Galaxy Brain

This meme started in 2017 when someone on Reddit made the joke that people who use “Who” have smaller brains,  and “Whomst’d” have the largest. This meme takes objects, and words and compares them by ironic intellectual intelligence.

 The words or objects are often on the left side, and the expanding brain is on the left. These memes are similar to the Is This a Pigeon meme with the same trend of irony. 

Condescending Wonka

This meme started in 2011 and gained a lot of traction being that it was one of the first memes, but slowly died and made it’s way to Facebook. The meme depicts Gene Wilder, playing Willy Wonka, in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

 It first began with “Oh you just graduated? You must know everything”, and evolved to more and more condescending comments often heard by the person who made them. “Oh, you’re an engineer? Please tell me how my career is a waste of time.” It died about two years later when it made it to Facebook, and all over my dad’s page. 

Evil Kermit

Evil Kermit was originally from Muppets Most Wanted, where Kermit the Frog is talking to his doppelganger, Constantine, who’s only defining characteristic is his giant mole. The picture shows the two of them facing each other were the “bad Kermit” is wearing a black hood.

The meme often shows new captions on top of them, showing that people are their own worst enemies. Depicting people talking to themselves by saying: me to me. 

“Me: I’m glad I’m saving all this money. Also me: Great, now spend it all.” 

Ok Boomer

My personal favorite, Ok Boomer is a new 2019 trend to dismiss the Baby Boomer generation when they say something insulting. Many SoundCloud rappers have made remixes that feature themselves repeating “OK Boomer” over and over again. This song got even more traction when it made it’s way to the popular app, TikTok where people used it to express their anger to the Baby Boomer generation when they say something offensive to the person recording.

 One showed the story of a teenager checking out an old woman and when asked if she wanted her receipt she went off that people should always get their receipts, to which his response was, “Ok Boomer.”