Keeping up with the fads of pop culture can be a challenge these days, as things move at lightning speed. And even though not every trend is born online, most are — and no matter what, eventually everything ends up on social media. People post to friends about the latest fads, make reaction and unboxing videos featuring the hottest products, and create viral memes that can reach millions. 2025 has been a busy year, so we’ve gathered some of the most popular things circulating on the internet. You’ll probably recognize at least a few!
The Wild World of 2025’s Fads and Trends
Labubu
These fuzzy, small plush monsters with sharp teeth are basically the modern-day equivalent of Troll dolls. Designed by the Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung, labubus are distributed exclusively by the retailer Pop Mart. Driving the labubu craze is the fact that you never know which labubu you’re going to get, a marketing tactic called blind box purchasing. Love them or hate them, there’s no denying how wildly popular they are around the world. There’s even a thriving black market for fake labubus called “lafufus.”
Dubai chocolate
Sweet treats are always in style, but Dubai chocolate-flavored everything has taken the snack world by storm this year. So, what makes Dubai chocolate special? It’s got a creamy pistachio filling that’s mixed with kadayif, the Arabic word for chopped phyllo dough. Like its namesake mentions, this dessert was created in Dubai and has since spread to grocery stores all over the planet. Fueling its popularity, of course, are reviews by online influencers who can’t stop unboxing, taste-testing, and ranking every new variation that hits the shelves.
From limited-edition candy bars to ice cream pints and even breakfast cereal, Dubai chocolate has quickly gone from niche delicacy to household name — and kids (and parents) are lining up to try it.
Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday
This trending sound has been all over TikTok for weeks, and it’s even made its way to Instagram Reels by now. It comes from a commercial for a Jet2holidays, a UK-based travel agency. The sound is accompanied by user-provided videos of travel mishaps or vacations-gone-wrong. It’s hard to say why certain things go viral on TikTok, but this one seems to be thriving because it’s a juxtaposition of a cheerful ad jingle with absolutely hilarious outtakes from bad trips.
Nintendo Switch 2
Gamers have been waiting years for Nintendo’s next big console, and this year it finally arrived. The Switch 2 builds on everything families loved about the original — the portability, the kid-friendly library, and the party games — but with sharper graphics, longer battery life, and new features that make it even more fun to play together. Whether your child is into Mario Kart marathons with friends or cozy solo adventures in Animal Crossing, chances are good that the Switch 2 will be on their wish list this year.
Lizard meme
They don’t get much simpler than this one, folks. A bug-eyed, silly-looking lizard is repeatedly pressing a “lizard” button on a screen, while a robotic voice repeats “lizard.” Turns out this brief snippet is from a post-credits scene after the movie Elio, advertising the upcoming release of another Pixar film called Hoppers. But back to lizards — this meme is being used by people describing mindless or repetitive tasks. In a deeper sense, the lizard meme is all of us, as we press buttons on screens in search of that next dopamine hit. Lizard. Lizard. Lizard. Also fun fact: The lizard’s name is Tom.
Jellycat
In the same category as Labubus and popular-and-adorable-stuffed-things, we have Jellycats, which are super soft, stylish, and whimsical toys made in Britain. The company has more than 2 million followers on TikTok, and fans of the brand are constantly posting videos featuring their collections. Also driving their popularity are their creative and FOMO-inducing interactive pop-up events, like the Jellycat Diner and the London Fish and Chips Experience.
KPop Demon Hunters
The world is full of animated movies for kids, but KPop Demon Hunters is even being talked about by parents who’ve been watching it with their children. One of the best parts? The absolutely catchy songs that are guaranteed to get stuck in your head. The film brings KPop, or Korean pop music, to the mainstream for many Americans, while also providing an emotional, entertaining, and just plain fun experience for young and old alike.
Holy airball
“Holy airball” is kind of like saying “holy cow,” but it’s used when someone completely messes something up. Think of basketball — an airball is a shot that doesn’t even touch the rim or backboard. That’s how far off it is. For example, in Gordon Ramsay’s viral TikTok, he says, “I told them I like to cook,” and someone replies, “Oh, like sheet pan meals?” The text “holy airball” then pops up with a shot of Ramsay’s famous restaurant. It’s a funny way of calling out when someone totally misses the mark.
Owala water bottles
Move over Stanley — the next popular must-have water bottle is an Owala. It seems every two years or so, we get another viral drinking container. Remember Hydroflasks and Nalgenes? We do, and our kitchen cabinets are full of water bottles that no longer see the light of day.
Right now, Owalas are on top. What sets them apart from other bottles is their combo straw and free sip lid, giving users more freedom to drink how they please. They also come in eye-catching color combos that lend themselves well to social media marketing and displays.
Need Help Keeping Up With Other Trends? Bark’s Got You Covered
At Bark, we keep tabs on emerging trends, slang, and emojis popular with young people so you don’t have to. Our blog and slang guides are regularly updated with trending topics and the latest terms, keeping you up to date on what’s making the rounds online.
If you want to connect with other parents like you, we invite you to join Parenting in a Tech World, our Facebook group that has 600,000+ members. Here, you’ll find a supportive community where families are regularly helping each other out and sharing what they’ve learned when it comes to the most popular trends, digital parenting issues, and so much more.
On top of our free resources, we offer devices and apps that have content monitoring that can flag potentially concerning issues in your child’s texts and social media — including language that could point to bullying, mental health struggles, or risky behavior. We offer a variety of products that help parents protect their kids online, including the Bark Phone, the Bark Watch, the Bark app, and the Bark Home. Check out our products page to find out which one is the best fit for your family.
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