Pepe

Pepe is a given name or nickname used in various cultures, often as a short form of Giuseppe, José, or other names. It also refers to a widely known internet meme, Pepe the Frog, which has had a enduring impact on online culture.

Pepe the Frog originated as a character in Matt Furie’s 2005 comic book series Boy’s Club. The character was depicted as a laid-back, humorous frog and soon appeared in online communities with the caption “feels good man.” The image evolved into a broad range of memes, with countless variants and captions, as it spread across image boards, forums, and social media.

In the early to mid-2010s, Pepe the Frog was adopted by diverse online communities and, in some cases, co-opted for political messaging. This usage drew criticism and concern as some iterations aligned with extremist or hateful content. In 2016 the Anti-Defamation League characterized Pepe as a hate symbol in certain contexts, though many other uses remained benign or humorous. Creator Matt Furie publicly sought to reclaim Pepe and disassociate it from hate imagery, launching artistic projects and campaigns in 2017 to restore Pepe’s original, non-political meaning.

Today Pepe remains a versatile meme with a wide range of expressions and contexts. Its meaning is highly dependent on the image, caption, and audience, spanning lighthearted humor to problematic uses in some political memes. Beyond the meme, Pepe continues to be a common nickname or given name in various countries, reflecting the cultural diversity of its origins.