Dad jokes—those short, often groan-worthy quips delivered with a grin—have become a beloved (and sometimes begrudged) part of modern humor.  Typically characterized by their puns, predictable punchlines, and innocent playfulness, dad jokes are more than just silly remarks; they reflect a cultural phenomenon with deeper roots than many realize.

The term “dad joke” is relatively new, but the style of humor it represents is ancient.  Puns and wordplay have existed for millennia, with evidence of similar jokes appearing in ancient Sumerian texts and Greek plays.  Shakespeare, in particular, was a master of the pun, using them liberally in his work.  The essential structure of the dad joke—short, pun-based, and often eye-roll-inducing—was alive and well long before it earned its modern label.

The modern association of this type of joke with fatherhood likely stems from cultural stereotypes about dads.  Fathers are often portrayed as endearingly awkward, using humor to bond with their children or lighten the mood, even if the jokes themselves are painfully unfunny.  These stereotypes took hold especially in the mid-to-late 20th century, during a period when media representations of family life began to shape cultural perceptions of parenting roles.

The exact phrase “dad joke” appears to have first entered the popular lexicon in the late 1980s.  One of the earliest recorded uses in print was in a 1987 Gettysburg Times column titled “Don’t Ban the ‘Dad’ Jokes; Preserve and Revere Them,” in which the author both acknowledged the corniness of the jokes and defended their place in family life.  From there, the phrase began to spread slowly, picking up steam in the 2000s with the rise of the Internet and social media.

Online platforms, especially Reddit, Twitter, and TikTok, became hotbeds for the dad joke genre.  These sites allowed for the rapid sharing of short-form humor, and dad jokes fit perfectly into their formats.  As the term caught on, so did the idea that these jokes were a defining feature of “dad” behavior—often harmless, sometimes embarrassing, but always delivered with a kind of earnest charm.

Interestingly, the rise in popularity of dad jokes has coincided with a broader embrace of wholesome, non-offensive humor.  In a time when much comedy can be edgy or polarizing, dad jokes offer a safe, inclusive alternative that often relies more on cleverness than cruelty.

So while the jokes themselves are ancient, the term “dad joke” is a relatively recent cultural invention.  It captures not just a style of humor, but a social role—one that evokes warmth, family, and a universal experience of groaning at a parent’s pun.  Today, dad jokes are not only tolerated but celebrated, giving pun-loving parents everywhere full license to say, “Hi hungry, I’m Dad.”

A few eye-rolling dad jokes to help get your Father's Day celebration started!