What Is A 'Hampter'? The Adorable YouTube Meme Explained

Hampter refers to a series of videos centered around a picture of a frightened-looking hamster. After a YouTuber dubbed the character Hampter, a small online community developed around the character, leading to multiple parodies across social media, as well as memes referencing the hamster.

A frightened-looking hamster became the subject of a series of YouTube videos in 2020, with people referring to it as a "hampter" and inserting it into various goofy meme scenarios. Here's the origin of the meme.

Where Does The Image Of 'Hampter' Come From?

The image of the "hampter" comes from an August 2014 post on Reddit's /r/funny. Redditor /u/menny91 captioned the image, "My friend's hamster looks like a cartoon."

A few months later, YouTuber Boba Fett The Meme Lord posted a video in which the word "hampter" appears over the exact image posted to Reddit. This video is often credited as the catalyst of the YouTube hampter trend.

How Did 'Hampter' Become A Meme?

Boba Fett The Meme Lord's video was reposted by numerous YouTube accounts in subsequent weeks, as seen in uploads that gathered over 200,000 views apiece.

Eventually, YouTubers began posting meme edits of the hampter, making parody videos or placing him in funny situations.

For the full history of Hampter, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.