About

I Now Know My Name refers to a series of TikTok videos using singer Grace VanderWaal's 2016 song "I Don't Know My Name"^[1] to share their pronouns and deadname. Similarly to the This Is My Voice meme on TikTok, non-binary and trans TikTokers used the trend until it turned into a parody in late 2019, with TikTokers sharing previous pronouns like "She/Her" and then displaying parody pronouns.

Origin

The first use of "I Now Know My Name" is unknown. On November 19th, 2018, TikToker meh.its__ehh uploaded the earliest known example of the meme suggesting that the TikToker now knows their identity (shown below). The video garnered over 72,300 likes in two years.

Spread

On December 17th, 2019, TikToker graysansom uploaded a classic example of the meme sharing their previous pronouns and deadname then their current pronouns and name (shown below, left). The video gained over 148,100 likes in eight months. On January 1st, 2020, TikToker sethxavier98 used the meme to share photos of before and after his transition (shown below, center). The video received over 81,300 likes in six months. On February 22nd, TikToker Sarwilson uploaded a parody saying that her current pronouns as "sto/ner" (shown below, right). The video accumulated over 1.6 million likes in five months.

Once the parodies began, many people began denouncing them on TikTok and Twitter. Twitter user @eaturhartowt^[2]_ said "I have this same energy toward ppl who use that 'now I know my name' tiktok sound. Every time I see 'bitch' or somethin like that I’m like.. congrats, you’re so fucking funny and original lol" in response to another tweet (shown below, left). On June 5th, Twitter user @leathenerdd^[3] also commented on the trend saying, "to all the cis people using the 'I now know my name' sound on TikTok, you aren't funny. it isn't a clever joke. People have died for being trans so stop making everything about you" (shown below, right).

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References