You’ve probably seen him on your TikTok feed or somewhere on Instagram — that little monkey with his finger on his mouth, looking like he’s deep in thought about life (or maybe just what to eat next). That’s the Thinking Monkey, and yes — he’s as iconic as he looks.
Where It All Started
It all began back in 2011. A photographer uploaded a picture on DeviantArt of a monkey in Gibraltar, standing in front of the seaport, gazing into the distance with a finger to his lips — looking way too philosophical for a Tuesday.
The image was simply titled “Gibraltar Monkeys.” Fast forward to 2024, and suddenly this photo was everywhere. Meme pages on Instagram started reviving it with hilarious captions like:
“When the iced coffee starts tasting like I need an almond croissant to go with it.” or “What if I d*ck you down on some lowkey ish.”
From there, the Thinking Monkey became a full-blown symbol of deep (but useless) thinking — the face of overthinking turned into art.
Why Everyone Loves It
Because we are the Thinking Monkey.
- He’s you when you replay an awkward conversation in your head.
- He’s me when I try to understand my life choices at 2 a.m.
- He’s all of us when we stare into the void trying to figure out absolutely nothing. That thoughtful little face perfectly captures the human condition — serious yet ridiculous.
The Thinking Monkey became a way to say: “I’m overthinking again… and I’m okay with it.”
Quick Facts
📍 Photo origin: Gibraltar, 2011
🚀 Went viral again: 2024 (thanks to TikTok & Instagram)
🤔 Meaning: Deep thinking… about nothing at all
❤️ Moral of the story: Sometimes, a monkey thinking says more than a thousand words.
How It Connects to My Shop
Love this meme? Same. You can’t overthink it — but you can buy it now!
👉 https://www.etsy.com/listing/4397923264/thinking-monkey-meme-shirt-vintage-90s?sr_prefetch=0&pf_from=shop_home&ref=shop_home_active_1&pro=1&logging_key=c55f87818951d8a6b395228c0fee1dfdf2f4b868%3A4397923264