While we all love embedding a cheeky little meme or the perfect GIF in our day-to-day communications, we've got to remember that these memes aren't like emojis or exclamation marks. These memes are of real people, with real lives, and they're out there somewhere existing among the rest of us.

Every meme has some kind of backstory, whether it was a spontaneous moment caught on camera or an embarrassing pic that someone else uploaded to the internet. From the Ermagherd girl to Side-eye Chloe, here are 10 people (and animals!) from the most famous memes and what they look like now.

1. Disaster girl

This iconic picture of a young Zoe Roth looking suspiciously wicked as a fire burns behind her was taken in 2004. Her father took the pic while they were watching a local fire department's drill training. It looks like she's still got it in her!

2. Success Kid

Sam Griner's mother uploaded the picture of her son trying to eat sand, which later turned into the "Success Kid" meme. She says he gets embarrassed with the association, but he recently decided to recreate the pic, so I guess he doesn't really mind now.

3. "I don't know" girl

This meme comes from a scene in Disney Channel show Good Luck Charlie, featuring actress Mia Talerico, who is now nine years old.

4. Side-eye Chloe

The little girl with the hilariously judgemental look on her face is called Chloe. She's now seven years old and apparently loves playing Minecraft and reading.

5. "Such wow" doge

The adorable Shiba Inu who became immortalised as "doge" is a Japanese rescue dog called Kabosu who turned 12 last November.

6. First world problems lady

The person behind the iconic tear-stricken face is actually an award-winning Italian actress by the name of Silvia Bottini.

7. "Trying to hold a fart next to a cute girl in class" dude

This meme became famous after Michael McGee's picture was uploaded to Reddit. It's been used in many different contexts since then, usually to imply how much restraint certain things require. Like, holding farts in when you're trying to impress someone.

8. Blinking white guy

The GIF of the dude blinking in bewilderment features someone called Drew Scanlon, who became famous when a clip of him reacting to something stupid someone said on a gaming show went viral. To be honest, he looks just as unimpressed in his most recent picture.

9. Grumpy Cat

 The snowshoe cat who is known as Grumpy Cat is actually called Tardar Sauce, and yes, that expression is permanent.

10. Ermagherd girl

Maggie Goldenberger, the woman who once posed with her Goosebumps books with a wild expression on her face, says the pic was taken when she was in fourth or fifth grade and she and her friends were really into dress-ups.

Incredible, right? Some of them look very different, while others (I'm looking at you Grumpy Cat) have barely changed at all.

While we all love embedding a cheeky little meme or the perfect GIF in our day-to-day communications, we've got to remember that these memes aren't like emojis or exclamation marks. These memes are of real people, with real lives, and they're out there somewhere existing among the rest of us.

Every meme has some kind of backstory, whether it was a spontaneous moment caught on camera or an embarrassing pic that someone else uploaded to the internet. From the Ermagherd girl to Side-eye Chloe, here are 10 people (and animals!) from the most famous memes and what they look like now.

1. Disaster girl

This iconic picture of a young Zoe Roth looking suspiciously wicked as a fire burns behind her was taken in 2004. Her father took the pic while they were watching a local fire department's drill training. It looks like she's still got it in her!

2. Success Kid

Sam Griner's mother uploaded the picture of her son trying to eat sand, which later turned into the "Success Kid" meme. She says he gets embarrassed with the association, but he recently decided to recreate the pic, so I guess he doesn't really mind now.

3. "I don't know" girl

This meme comes from a scene in Disney Channel show Good Luck Charlie, featuring actress Mia Talerico, who is now nine years old.

4. Side-eye Chloe

The little girl with the hilariously judgemental look on her face is called Chloe. She's now seven years old and apparently loves playing Minecraft and reading.

5. "Such wow" doge

The adorable Shiba Inu who became immortalised as "doge" is a Japanese rescue dog called Kabosu who turned 12 last November.

6. First world problems lady

The person behind the iconic tear-stricken face is actually an award-winning Italian actress by the name of Silvia Bottini.

7. "Trying to hold a fart next to a cute girl in class" dude

This meme became famous after Michael McGee's picture was uploaded to Reddit. It's been used in many different contexts since then, usually to imply how much restraint certain things require. Like, holding farts in when you're trying to impress someone.

8. Blinking white guy

The GIF of the dude blinking in bewilderment features someone called Drew Scanlon, who became famous when a clip of him reacting to something stupid someone said on a gaming show went viral. To be honest, he looks just as unimpressed in his most recent picture.

9. Grumpy Cat

 The snowshoe cat who is known as Grumpy Cat is actually called Tardar Sauce, and yes, that expression is permanent.

10. Ermagherd girl

Maggie Goldenberger, the woman who once posed with her Goosebumps books with a wild expression on her face, says the pic was taken when she was in fourth or fifth grade and she and her friends were really into dress-ups.

Incredible, right? Some of them look very different, while others (I'm looking at you Grumpy Cat) have barely changed at all.