In the ever-evolving world of internet memes, few have captured the imagination quite like the "Gigachad." This meme, representing the epitome of masculinity, has become a cultural phenomenon, sparking trends and discussions across the internet. Let's delve into the origins, evolution, and cultural impact of the Gigachad meme.
What is Gigachad?
Kids are using the slang word “Gigachad” to mean “the ultimate man,” according to Urban Dictionary. Put differently, he's a handsome, alpha dude with swagger. “Gigachad is based on this concept of being a ‘Chad’ which means you’re just this typical gym bro that’s focused on your physical appearance,” Lindsay said in his video. “And then the word ‘Giga’ means extreme or doing something to an exceptionally high level.”
The Chad Face, also known as the GigaChad Face, refers to the facial recreation of what a typical Chad and GigaChad is perceived to look like online. Making the face involves slanting one's eyebrows, flaring one's nostrils, sucking in one's cheeks and puckering one's lips, all while emphasizing the jawline.
The Roots of "Chad" in Meme Culture
The history of Chad in memes dates back to the 2000s and even further in pop culture to the 1990s when "Chad" was a derogatory slang term for young, successful white men in their 20s and early 30s in Chicago, Illinois. "Chad" was first added to Urban Dictionary on June 1st, 2006, by user Mav Himself, defining him as a guy who "goes to the bar to pick up chicks."
Going into the remainder of the 2010s, the aesthetic signifiers of the typical "Chad" solidified themselves in multiple "Chad" memes and trends. For instance, on June 7th, 2017, the first iteration of the blonde Chad cartoon present in the Virgin vs.
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The Rise of the Chad Face
The Chad Face meme started as a stylized illustration of a man with a confident and smug expression. The term Chad is often associated with an alpha male archetype who exudes confidence, charisma, and success. The Chad Face meme has evolved into a symbol of self-assuredness and self-confidence.
The Chad Face meme has become a way for internet users to express feelings of superiority, self-assurance, and assertiveness. It is often used in response to situations that require a strong and confident attitude.
A Chad Face is any attempt to mimic the facial features of model Ernest Khalimov in a photo taken in 2006 by Krista Sudmalis. Chad is a meme nickname for any man considered to be conventionally attractive and successful in his attempts to woo women.
Around 2017, a Chad Wojak appeared to represent the Western idea of ideal masculinity in comparison with the Virgin Wojak, both of whom would later come to form the Virgin vs. Chad meme, with users making what they considered to be ugly faces to represent something bad and then making the Chad Face to represent its opposite. Around this time, filters appeared that allowed people to artificially achieve the Chad Face or subject it to celebrities and popular characters.
Peak Popularity: Jan.
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The Gigachad Phenomenon
GigaChad has been the basis of countless memes over the past five years. GigaChad is the nickname for a bodybuilder/model who appears in a series of deeply-stylized, black-and-white photographs. The GigaChad meme originated in the cesspool that is 4chan. GigaChad got his name on October 17, 2017, when someone posted a picture of him on 4chan with the following description: “Behold, the Gigachad.
In February 2021, GigaChad saw a surge in popularity after his pictures were used in the “Average Fan vs. By the summer of 2022, there were 600,000 monthly Google searches for Gigachad, making him one of the most popular memes in internet history.
Going into the 2020s, Google Trends interest in the term "Chad Face" started to accelerate, notably occurring in 2021. "GigaChad Face" tutorials started emerging soon after as some creators were able to make the face without the filter.
It’s likely a coincidence also in 2006, Sudmalis photographed Khalimov with the smile seen today in the GigaChad meme, as named by a 4chan user in 2017.
The Truth Behind the Image
The short answer is no: the hyper-masculine guy from the GigaChad meme isn’t a real person. In 2016, GigaChad launched his own Instagram account under the username “berlin.1969” and soon revealed his real name was Ernest Khalimov. However, internet sleuths quickly found evidence that Khalimov didn’t exist and was actually a digitally altered image of another man. Some claim she Photoshopped her previous boyfriend, Artur Farad.
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GigaChad may not be a real person, but that doesn’t mean his creator isn’t cashing in on his fame. In August 2021, GigaChad launched a collection of 140 NFTs. “GigaChad NFT Collection is not just a meme collection; it is an artwork by itself translating art photographer’s ideas, expressed in her own unique style,” says the description on OpenSea.
The "Looksmaxing" Connection
“Gigachad” is connected to “looksmaxing” a beauty trend that Urban Dictionary says is the “physical improvement of a person’s body - in terms of development of facial features or muscular improvement - in order to make oneself more attractive or easier to like.”
The “looksmaxing” movement has churned out Gen Z trends like “mewing," in which teens stick their tongues on the roofs of their mouths, believing it firms up their jawline (it doesn’t, according to the American Association of Orthodontists). But wait, there’s more: If you attempt to engage a teen in conversation while they are "mewing," they “shush” you, then drag their finger along their own jawline.
One of these is called “mewing,” and refers to a tongue and mouth exercise that supposedly helps with jawline definition.
Mewing involves resting one's tongue on the roof of their mouth at all times, which allegedly leads to a stronger jaw and aesthetically pleasing jawline/face.
This refers to a facial exercise that requires keeping the mouth closed and pushing the tongue against the roof of the mouth.
They have achieved ultimate alpha ‘sigma’ status due to their prominent chin and their good looks which they got from ‘mewing.’ So, a Gigachad is just the next iteration of being ‘sigma’ which just means that you’re the best of the best of the best - the ultimate gym bro.
What is the Sigma Face?
The related Sigma Face comes from the idea of the “sigma male” and emulates the expressions of the character Patrick Bateman from the 2000 film American Psycho. Pair this with a slight nod, and you’ve achieved the look of a charismatic murderer.
The Dark Side: Soyjacking
What is Soyjacking?
The Impossibility of Achieving Gigachad
It’s basically impossible to achieve a physique like GigaChad. The men are mewing and now they look like that.
How to do Chad Face?
To achieve the legendary Chad Face, one doesn’t necessarily need extensive cosmetic surgery.
The Popularity of Gigachad
How to Evolve From DOOMER to GIGACHAD (Full Guide)
Here's a table showing the growth in popularity of the Gigachad meme:
| Year | Event | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | "Chad" added to Urban Dictionary | Initial definition as a "bar-hopping" guy |
| 2011 | Mewing surfaces on YouTube | Introduction of facial exercises for jawline definition |
| 2017 | First iteration of the blonde Chad cartoon | Solidification of aesthetic signifiers |
| October 17, 2017 | GigaChad posted on 4chan | The Gigachad meme originated |
| February 2021 | Surge in popularity | Pictures used in "Average Fan vs." memes |
| Summer 2022 | 600,000 monthly Google searches | Became one of the most popular memes in internet history |
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