Meme was started by a celebrity Philippines couple, Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, on television – but has left its origins far behind

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The pabebe, a delicate hand wave from the Philippines, is taking the internet by storm. Millions of people all over the world are taking photos of themselves doing it.

What is the pabebe?

It means to act cute, like a baby.

This is a pabebe wave:

Source: M2.

Where did it come from?

From a love story.

In Filipino popular culture, when a man and woman get together they are called a “love team”. Right now in the Philippines, Alden Richards, a young television actor, and Maine Mendoza, AKA Yaya Dub, who is famous on the internet for doing dubsmash and has one of the fastest-growing followings on Twitter, are the love team many people are rooting for. And AlDub, as the couple are known, had a huge part in popularising the pabebe wave.

A few months ago, the pair appeared on Eat Bulaga, a popular TV show, with Richards on video link and Mendoza in the studio. When she muddled her dubbing, the show hosts noticed the spark between the two and asked Mendoza to acknowledge Richards. That’s when Mendoza dropped the pabebe wave, and that is why it is now a thing.

Source: GMA Network.

Who is doing the pabebe?

Who’s not doing the pabebe?

Whether it’s an IRL (“in real life”) relationship or fictional, set up by the reality TV show, isn’t the point: the love team, along with their now signature wave, went viral in the Philippines.



People are doing it in family photos:

Others are pointing out the different ways it’s done:

It has entered the world of dating tips:

Basketball players are taking part:

The FIBA Philippines basketball team. Photograph: FIBA Facebook

Popular TV personalities are at it:

Eat Bulaga (@EatBulaga) Lola Nidora and Lola Tidora noon! #ALDubEBTamangPanahon pic.twitter.com/Lm6iFQTneB

And there was even a national pabebe day in the Philippines on 26 September:

Annie Porciuncula (@Annieporci) #Pabebe Wave National Day 92615…^Sales Department@Bin Majid Beach Hotel Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates pic.twitter.com/0C4nlMylHj

Even US diplomats in Manila are getting in on the act, the US’s embassy official Twitter account announced:

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Staff at the US Embassy in Manila get on board.

It has now gone international, with celebrities from other countries adopting the wave.

From South Korean pop stars:

To Hollywood actors:

And American singers:

Warner Music PH (@WMPhils) @charlieputh's pabebe wave with @aldenrichards02 is the cutest thing! #ALDUBmeetsTVJ #CharliePuthInMNL pic.twitter.com/BMW6MdT6mi

Even Golum from The Lord of the Rings knows it:

Inevitably, it’s also become a serious marketing tactic in the country, with global companies advertising in the Philippines wanting to show they, too, know how to pabebe-wave:



Maine Mendoza (@mainedcm) Walang makakapigil samin ni Ronald! #AlDubKoTo pic.twitter.com/fy8hcuEIDD

But for some, the pabebe wave is just getting too much: