Narwhals Narwhals Meme: Origin and Meaning
Trace MrWeebl’s 2009 animated song, the credits behind it, its remixes and Sprint reuse, and the 2026 short-form edit wave.
The “Narwhals, Narwhals” meme comes from a short animated song released by Weebl’s Stuff on February 22, 2009. Jonti Picking, better known as MrWeebl, made the music, while the Albino Blacksheep archive credits Wonchop with the animation. Its repeated chorus, simple cartoon whale, and absurd praise made it easy to quote, cover, and remake.[1][2][3]
A green-gray cartoon narwhal lunges across a blue frame with a grin and a long tusk. The beat starts, the animal’s name repeats, and the song quickly declares narwhals “the Jedi of the sea.” The video needs no plot. Its character, rhythm, and exaggerated claims do the work.
Lead image: the thumbnail served by YouTube for the official Weebl’s Stuff upload of “Narwhals.” It shows the recognizable cartoon narwhal above the MrWeebl wordmark. Weebl’s Stuff uploaded the source video; Albino Blacksheep credits Wonchop for animation and J. Picking for music. The thumbnail designer is not separately identified. Used here with attribution for editorial identification. No public reuse license, merchandise right, or endorsement was verified.
Where did the Narwhals song come from?
The official Weebl’s Stuff YouTube page dates “Narwhals : animated music video : MrWeebl” to February 22, 2009. The current creator-site page carries the same title and presents the song as part of MrWeebl’s catalog.[1][2]
MrWeebl is British animator and musician Jonti Picking. The independent Albino Blacksheep archive lists the work as “by Wonchop (music J. Picking).” That credit separates the animation from the music instead of assigning every part to one person.[3]
The lyrics mix real traits with obvious jokes. A narwhal’s tusk becomes an “underwater unicorn” horn, and the animation turns the animal into a cheerful web-cartoon character. The piece belongs to a style of early online animation built around short loops, bright drawings, electronic music, and deliberate absurdity.
In a 2015 HuffPost interview, Picking confirmed the 2009 release. He described his work as surreal, catchy humor meant to stay in the viewer’s head. He also connected his interest in narwhals to natural history and to the animal’s already improbable appearance.[4]
How does the meme work?
“Narwhals” travels as both a song meme and a character meme.
The song can be recognized from its opening phrase and cadence. A cover can change the genre, and a short-form edit can use only part of the audio without losing the reference.
The cartoon works in silence. Its oversized tusk, rounded body, wide mouth, and readable expression make the subject easy to identify, crop, redraw, or replace. Audio and image can travel separately, which helped the meme survive changes in platform and format.
How did it spread beyond the original upload?
Remixes, covers, loops, and alternate versions followed during the 2010s. Know Your Meme links examples, including MrWeebl’s jazz version, but its entry is still marked as being researched and evaluated. This article therefore does not treat its engagement totals or earliest-remix claims as settled history.[5]
A later wave came from advertising. HuffPost reported in 2015 that a Sprint campaign used part of the animation. Picking said the advertising agency contacted him and asked to use “Narwhals,” and he agreed. The commercial did not create the meme. It reused a work released six years earlier with the creator’s permission for that campaign.[4]
Why did the Narwhals song return in 2026?
Know Your Meme records an April 2026 wave of TikTok edits that kept the song and replaced the cartoon narwhals with newer meme characters. The archive remains under research, so no definitive first 2026 post is claimed here.[5]
The edits preserve the old song’s timing while changing the subject. Viewers recognize a 2009 internet refrain inside a newer visual style. That approach lets a meme change without losing the signals that identify it.
Why does the meme still work?
The original is short, the central phrase is easy to remember, and the animal’s silhouette is distinctive. Participation also has a low barrier. People can quote a line, cover the song, loop the animation, replace a character, or draw a response.
Its audio and visual design also fit newer short-form video even though the piece comes from the Flash-era web. The platforms changed, but the reusable parts were already present.
Editorial use and rights
The animation, character design, music, lyrics, thumbnail, and later remixes have identifiable creators or uploaders. The official thumbnail is reproduced here only to identify and discuss the source animation. Editorial use does not clear commercial products. No public reuse license or merchandise permission was verified, and no relevant live MemeMeet product was found, so this article contains no Narwhals product link.
More documented origin guides are collected in MemeMeet’s Meme Culture archive. MemeMeet’s rights-aware community guide explains why identifying a meme in an article is different from clearing it for merchandise.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| February 22, 2009 | Weebl’s Stuff releases “Narwhals : animated music video : MrWeebl” on YouTube. |
| 2010s | Covers, remixes, loops, and alternate versions carry the song beyond the original upload. |
| 2015 | Sprint uses part of the animation in an advertising campaign after its agency asks Picking for permission. |
| 2022 and 2024 | Know Your Meme records MrWeebl posts using the song on TikTok. |
| April 2026 | A new edit wave pairs the song with newer meme characters; the exact first post remains unresolved. |
Frequently asked questions
Who made the “Narwhals, Narwhals” song?
Jonti Picking, known online as MrWeebl, made the music. Albino Blacksheep credits Wonchop with the animation and J. Picking with the music.
When was the original Narwhals video released?
The official Weebl’s Stuff YouTube page dates the video to February 22, 2009.
Was the song created for the Sprint commercial?
No. The original dates to 2009. Sprint used part of it in a 2015 campaign after an advertising agency contacted Picking for permission.
Why did the Narwhals song become a meme again in 2026?
A short-form edit wave reused the song and replaced the cartoon narwhals with newer meme characters. The archive documenting that wave remains under research, so a definitive first post is not established.
Can the Narwhals artwork or song be used on merchandise?
Not on the evidence reviewed for this article. No public merchandise license was verified. Editorial identification of the animation does not grant rights to use its artwork, character design, music, lyrics, or thumbnail on products.
Sources
- “Narwhals : animated music video : MrWeebl,” Weebl’s Stuff on YouTube, February 22, 2009
- “Narwhals : animated music video : MrWeebl,” Weebl’s Stuff
- “Narwhals,” Albino Blacksheep archive
- “Narwhals, Narwhals, Causing a Commotion: An Interview With Mr. Weebl’s Jonti Picking,” HuffPost, March 4, 2015
- “Narwhals Song / Narwhals Swimming In the Ocean,” Know Your Meme, April 18, 2026