Where Did The Term 'Barbenheimer' Originate? The Slang Phrase And Memes Linking 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Explained

Greta Gerwig's 2023 Barbie movie and Christopher Nolan's 2023 Oppenheimer biopic were inexplicably linked in the months leading up to the release of both films on July 21st.

The contrast between the two films no doubt played a part in people creating memes referencing both movies, with Barbie being a lighthearted fantasy comedy film about the iconic children's doll, while Oppenheimer portrays the troubled life of the scientist credited with the invention of the devastatingly powerful nuclear warhead.

In the weeks closing in on the release of both films, the phrase Barbenheimer emerged as a portmanteau of both names and stuck around in the form of fan-made memes about both films. Here's where the term was first synthesized, and a quick recap of how it's used.

Where Does The Word 'Barbenheimer' Come From?

The word 'Barbenheimer' first emerged on the internet in April 2022, when the casting for various roles in both the Barbie film and the Oppenheimer biopic were being released on the internet. With news about both movies all over movie-watchers' social media, a few people take credit for coming up with the portmanteau around the same time. The word went on to gain virality for the first time in early 2023.

How Is The Word 'Barbenheimer' Used In Memes?

The word 'Barbenheimer' was used as a catchy phrase to talk about people's excitement about both films, with several moviegoers swearing to watch both films on the same day. Discussions using the phrase Barbenheimer were so popular that it also led to a strange Twitter quirk where the invocation of the word immediately beckoned spammy Twitter T-shirt bots to one's replies.

What Is Some Fan Art About 'Barbenheimer'?

Another side effect of the hype around both films is the fanart inspired by the phrase Barbenheimer. Inspired artists spent weeks leading up to the release of both films making posters and artwork that combined visual elements from both movies, sometimes making it appear as though the two films were actually one.

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