The popular LMFAO group that created the viral hit, Party Rock Anthem, is made up of an uncle-nephew duo.
100 Mind-Blowing Popular Facts
In the popular film, The Godfather, the word “mafia” is never said because the actual mafia commanded it.
Ewok Jerky was a popular snack across the Outer Rim in the Star Wars Universe.
In the popular 2014 movie “Godzilla,” the Godzilla portrayal was only seen for about 8 minutes in the entire film.
Because of the Electoral College, a presidential candidate can win with only 23% of the popular vote.
Acetaminophen, one of the most popular painkillers, restrains masculinity and dulls emotions. It was rejected in 1887 for its side effects, then approved in 1955.
Contrary to popular belief, only 45% of the London Underground is underground.
Ziggy Marley, Bob Marley’s son, wrote the theme song for the popular children’s cartoon Arthur when he was 26.
One of Hitler’s favourite tunes to whistle was the very popular “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?”
Peaches are the third most popular fruit grown in America.
The Triangle took nearly 100 years to become a popular orchestral instrument.
Besides water, tea is the most popular beverage worldwide.
As of December 2023, the most popular boy baby name of the year is Noah and the most popular girl baby name of the year is Olivia, based on names registered with BabyCentre.com.
Glitter may have originated on a ranch. According to local lore, a man by the name of Henry Ruschmann from Bernardsville, New Jersey, invented glitter by accident in 1934 while working on a cattle ranch. The New York Times reports that in the popular origin story, Ruschmann, a machinist, was trying to find a way to dispose of scrap material by crushing it into tiny pieces. Plastic went in, glitter came out, and the rest is commonly accepted as history.
Dunce caps used to be signs of intelligence. Thirteenth-century philosopher John Duns Scotus believed that a pointed cap would help spread knowledge from the tip to the brain, and his “Dunsmen” followers wore them as a badge of honour. In the 1500s, though, his ideas became less popular and the meaning of the Duns cap was turned on its head, becoming something of a joke.
The letter ‘E’ is the most popular letter in the alphabet. ‘Z’ is the least popular.
It takes 142.18 licks to reach the centre of a Tootsie Pop. The Tootsie Pop was created in 1931 and was a popular staple during the Great Depression because of its cheap price. The more you know, right?
A blue whale’s heartbeat can be heard from two miles away. Contrary to popular belief, a blue whale’s heart isn’t as big as a Volkswagen beetle. However, it is still huge at 5 ft in length, 4 ft in width, and standing at 5 ft tall. This massive organ weighs about 181 kg.
Muhammad is the most popular name in the world. The most used name in the world is believed to be Muhammad with an estimated 150 million men who share this name. This is largely thanks to the Muslim practice of naming their first-born sons after the prophet.
Flyting was the original rap battle. Way before flip-top and rap battles, there was “flyting”: the artful exchange of witty, insulting lines. Flyting was popular in the 5th to 16th century England and Scotland.
Super Mario Land was the most popular game on the Game Boy during its release. It is also the first platform where the Mario games were released. To this day, Super Mario Land continues to be one of the highest-ranked games loved by retro gamers.
Mary and James are the most popular names around the world. Between the years 1917 to 2016, over 5 million baby boys were named James. On the other hand, over 3.5 million baby girls were named Mary.
‘OMG’ was first used in a letter to Winston Churchill in 1917. A retired British admiral of the Royal Navy one day became excited due to headlines regarding the mobilising forces of Britain. Excited to share this news with a college, the admiral quickly wrote a small acronym for ‘Oh My God!’ in his letter. Little did he know that he had just invented one of the most popular acronyms in today’s society.
The most popular state bird is the Northern Cardinal. Out of the 50 states in the U.S., seven voted for this species as their favourite bird. Perhaps this may be due to the Angry Birds trend from a few years back.
French fries did not come from France. Originally they come from the country of Belgium. However, they are most popular in the United States.
There are more than 10,000 different varieties of tomatoes. The most popular variant is the Italian Heirloom which promotes a full tomato flavor. More than 60 million tons of tomatoes are produced annually worldwide.
The spikes at the end of a stegosaurus tail are called a thagomizer. This term originated and was made popular by a cartoonist named Gary Larson. The term was introduced in 1982 and has been the term for the dinosaurs’ tail ever since.
Tulips were considered very valuable in the 1600s. It was reported that during this time, Tulips were worth more than gold. This flower was very popular during festivals and eventually became a form of currency.
Apple pie is not American. This delicacy is said to originate from Medieval England. Variations of the original recipe were made popular by the Dutch which became the known favorite of today.
Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in the world. In 2016, nearly 50 billion gallons of beer was consumed worldwide.
‘Grace’ is the most popular boat name. Other choices? Feelin’ Nauti, Aquaholic, Therapy, and Seas The Day.
The three most popular Western names in China are Jesus Christ, Richard Nixon, and Elvis Presley. What an interesting choice of personalities.
The Bucket List has become a popular choice for movie nights and discussions. Groups of friends and families often gather to watch the film together and engage in conversations about life and aspirations.
She voiced the character of Ivy in the animated series “Amphibia.” Peyton List lent her voice to bring Ivy, a quirky and lovable character, to life in the popular animated series.
She has appeared in popular TV shows. In addition to her role in “Jessie,” Peyton List has made guest appearances on shows like “The Suite Life on Deck” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
The most common name in the world is Mohammed. As per the sixth edition of the Columbia Encyclopedia (2000), Muhammad is the most common name in the world including its variations. More than 150 million men and boys in the world bear the name Muhammad which makes it the most popular name in the world.
Despite popular belief, many cats are actually lactose intolerant.
People used to say “prunes” when taking pictures. In the 1840s, it was considered childish to smile for pictures so it became popular for people to say “prunes” instead of “cheese” to keep their mouths taut.
Contrary to popular belief, flamingos are not born pink. They’re born with grey or white feathers and develop pink feathers from eating shrimp and algae.
Identical twins do not have the same fingerprints. Contrary to popular belief, identical twins can’t have the same fingerprints because of development factors in the womb. The rate their fingers grew, their position in the womb, and the length of their umbilical cord all play a factor.
Contrary to popular belief, lightning can strike twice.
During the Victorian era, it was popular for people to take photographs of their loved ones after they had died.
According to Tori Avey, coffee became a popular drink in America after the Boston Tea Party of 1773: Making the switch from tea to coffee was considered a patriotic duty.
Ketchup used to be sold as medicine. That’s right; the popular condiment was once thought to be a cure for indigestion.
Atacama is the driest place on Earth. The Atacama Desert, located in South America, is widely considered to be the driest place on Earth, outside of the Antarctic dry valleys. This vast expanse of land spans over 100,000 sq km and receives an average of less than 1 mm of rainfall per year. The harsh climate of the Atacama is due to a combination of factors including its location in a rain shadow caused by the Andes mountains, the presence of the cold Humboldt Current offshore and a lack of moisture-bearing winds. Despite its arid conditions, the Atacama is home to several unique species of plants and animals that have adapted to survive in this harsh environment. The desert is also known for its stunning landscapes, including salt flats, geysers and towering volcanoes – making it a popular destination for adventurous travellers.
Victorian doctors used to prescribe a trip to the beach. Seaside trips became very popular in Victorian times. Doctors would sometimes prescribe their patients a visit to the seaside, rather than medicine. That sounds good to us!
The 2007 video game Halo 3 was so popular that film executives blamed its creators for a drop in cinema attendance the week it was released. When it was released, the game was so popular that it broke previous sales records, raking in an incredible $170 million in the first day alone. The weekend the game was released, box office numbers were down 27%, something which Microsoft wasn’t even surprised about. Microsoft advertised the game similarly to a movie, targeting the same demographic (18-34) that frequent cinemas the most.
Charles Dickens’s novels were so popular in his day that poor people who couldn’t read would collectively pay someone to read his stories out loud. Charles Dickens was undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest novelists, at least in the Victorian era. While his works filled the shelves of aristocrats’ libraries worldwide, one of his greatest feats was his ability to reach out and inspire all classes of society. Masses of impoverished and illiterate fans would each pay a halfpenny (£0.25/$0.35 today) to have each of his monthly updates read out to them.
M&Ms were exclusively sold to the US military during World War II. When they were first produced in 1941, they came in cardboard tubes, and the colours were violet, green, yellow, orange, red, and brown. By the time the US entered WWII, M&Ms had grown big enough to score a contract exclusively producing the conveniently easy-to-transport chocolate for the military. Following the war, M&Ms were wildly popular, as they were the best part of the day for many soldiers in the trenches.
The most popular car model in the world is the Toyota Hilux. This rugged pickup truck is known around the world for its incredible versatility. With that said, it should come as no surprise that half of the top-selling countries for Hiluxes are in Africa, where the true mettle of the cars is tested on a day-to-day basis. Four out of the top six car models worldwide are Toyotas – the other three are the Toyota Corolla, Rav4, and Land Cruiser.
Recorders used to be a popular instrument. Many people around the world will fondly recall the moment in their early schooling years when they no longer had to screech out a horrifying rendition of Three Blind Mice or something along those lines on a recorder. This seemingly useless musical instrument, while shunned today, was all the rage back in the Baroque period of the early 1700s. It was so quiet that it was eventually replaced with the significantly louder flute so that the rest of the orchestra wouldn’t drown it out.
The most popular item at Walmart is bananas. They sell more bananas than any other single item they have in stock.
Tea is the most popular beverage worldwide apart from water.
Pizza, steak, and sushi are the most popular food items on Instagram.
With 3.572 billion viewers, half the world’s population watched the 2018 FIFA World Cup of soccer (or football, as many international fans call it), which is held every four years. That number is on par with the 2016 Summer Olympics, but only a quarter of the world watched the less-popular Winter Olympics in 2018.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s hard to see the Great Wall of China from space, particularly with the naked eye.
No one yet has verified the identity of Bitcoin’s founder. Satoshi Nakamoto is the only pseudonym for the most popular cryptocurrency in the world, the bitcoin. Up until now, his real identity remains a world mystery.
The Dvorak keyboard was designed to make typing much faster. However, the QWERTY keyboard became much more popular.
Since the launch of the popular mobile game, Candy Crush, in 2012, players have spent a total of 73 billion hours (equivalent to 8.3 million years) playing this game.
Google’s Name Comes From A Spelling Error. Sergey Brin and Larry Page founded Google in 1998. 70% of search queries worldwide run through Google’s search engine. On occasion, people wonder where the name Google comes from, and its origin story comes from a spelling error. A “googol”, in mathematics, is the number 1 followed by 100 zeros. Page originally wanted to call the search engine googol. By the time the company was formed, it switched its name to Google. Perhaps the name is easier to spell and looks more friendly on the screen. People perform billions of search queries each day through Google. It’s such a popular name that it became a verb years ago among users. Most people refer to running an Internet search as “Googling” something.
Domain Names were free before 1995. Domain name registration often costs a few dollars (or more) these days. Before 1995, registering a domain didn’t cost a penny, though. The National Science Foundation gave Network Solutions permission to charge for domain registration that year. Two-year registration for a domain initially cost $100. Prices trended downward for .COM domains after that. Available, unparked domains often cost $20 to $30 for a two-year registration. Purchasing a parked or popular domain name can, of course, cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. By 1995, only a few thousand domain names existed, so not many companies received free domains.
The Video Streaming Market is Exploding. To stream or not to stream? Even Shakespeare couldn’t have envisioned the scope of this phenomenon. Streaming was projected to become a 70.05-billion-dollar industry by 2021, but that number was likely surpassed when COVID-19 quarantines restricted entertainment options. Anticipated CAGR of 18.3% is likely under-reported and product variety isn’t the only reason streaming is so popular. Businesses using streaming technology as marketing and advertising tools — led by high-profile platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu — offer viewers a smorgasbord of options that are especially appreciated by smartphone and tablet users.
Technology is now influencing baby names. In 2012, at least six girls were named Apple, 49 boys were named Mac, and at least 17 girls were named Siri. However, the number of babies named Alexa in the U.S. has dropped from 6,050 in 2015 (the year Amazon’s Alexa became available) to 3,053 in 2018. Alexa was the 32nd most popular name for girls born in 2015 but dropped to 90th place in 2018.
40% of American couples meet online. Online dating is hugely popular these days, and apparently, it seems to work! 40% of couples who got together in 2017 met online. Looking at a larger scale, meeting through friends declined by 13% from 1995 to 2017.
MySpace lost all of its content before 2016. Due to a faulty server migration, every photo, song, and video that was uploaded to this once-popular social network was accidentally deleted. That accounts for 50 million songs from 14 million artists like Lily Allen and Arctic Monkeys. Of course, many of these have backups that are probably on Spotify by now, but those that didn’t are now lost forever.
Millions of hours of TV and movies are watched every day on Netflix. Of course, Netflix is a massively popular company, so it’s not that big of a surprise. The world spends about 164 million hours every day streaming Netflix, which is equivalent to 18,812 years’ worth of TV and movies every 24 hours. Now my binge-watching habits don’t seem so bad!
“Weird Al” Yankovic wrote “Albuquerque” as a joke specifically to “annoy people for 12 minutes.” It ended up becoming one of his most popular songs.
Banksy is the most popular graffiti artist, known for his stencil art with political and anti-war themes. They remain anonymous and are based in Bristol, England, but their work can be seen worldwide.
Thomas Crapper’s toilet. Contrary to popular belief, Thomas Crapper did not invent the flushing toilet, though his name is often associated with it. Crapper did play a significant role in popularising the flushing toilet and developed related inventions like the ball cock. However, the word ‘crap’ does not come from his name; it has Middle English origins and first appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1846.
Ransomware has Become One of the Most Popular Kinds of Cybercrime, with an Average Ransom Demand of About $170,000. Ransomware has now become one of the most popular options for cyberattackers since 2022. The average amount attackers demand is $170,000.
RiskTool is the Most Popular Mobile Malware, Responsible for More Than 54.06% of all Infected Gadgets. Though it’s not entirely malicious, it’s worth noting that RiskTool makes your mobile device vulnerable to breaches. It accounts for 54.06% of all infected machines, followed by Trojan-Dropper in 17.21% of infected gadgets.
BitDefender Ranks as the Most Popular Free Antivirus, Accruing a 10.17% Share of the Industry. Statistics show that BitDefender ranks as the number one best free antivirus, having a staggering market share of 10.17%. While BitDefender ranks marginally ahead of its contemporaries, its major contender, Malwarebytes, declined to 7.29% in market share.
Ubuntu is the world’s most popular Linux-based desktop operating system. It boasts an estimated 20 million users worldwide. Linux market share is estimated at 2-3% of all desktop computer use.
The most popular programming language used for the Linux Kernel is C, with nearly 98% of code written in C.
Even though Linux may not be the most preferred desktop choice, it is a popular choice for developers/programmers worldwide. Hence, Microsoft introduced Windows Subsystem for Linux to let Windows users easily access Linux tools without dual booting.
23 out of the most popular 25 websites in 2020 are powered by Linux.
In the US, Linux is most popular in the states of Utah and California.
Linux has great applications for personal and small business financial management. GnuCash and HomeBank are the most popular ones.
Hundreds of Linux Distributions: Currently, there are over 600 Linux distributions ranging from popular distributions (or distros) such as Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora to newer distributions such as Rocky and AlmaLinux.
Debian: The Mother of Many Linux Distributions: Debian was among the first GNU/Linux distributions to be community-driven. Debian 0.01 was the first Debian release and was made publicly available on September 15, 1993. Its first stable version – Debian 1.1 – was released on June 17, 1996. Debian is considered the ‘Mother’ of many Linux distributions. Popular Debian-based Linux distributions include Ubuntu, MX Linux, Deepin, and Pop! OS, Zorin OS, and Kali Linux to mention a few examples.
Linux Dominance in Supercomputers: It commands a market share of 48% as of June 2022. In addition, it powers nearly 90% of the cloud and is the most widely used operating system on popular cloud platforms including Microsoft Azure and AWS. As a result, Linux has become the operating system of choice for pushing the boundaries of scientific and technological innovation in the supercomputing arena.
Linux Market Share: Linux has gained ground as the third most popular desktop operating system, with a 2.92% market share as of October 2023, according to Statcounter. Beyond desktops, Linux’s reach extends further, serving as the backbone for a staggering 90% of the world’s cloud infrastructure. Its versatility, open-source nature, and robust performance have made it a prominent player both on personal computers and in the vast network of servers powering the digital services we rely on daily.
Ubuntu: The Global Leader in Linux Desktop Adoption: Ubuntu‘s status as the most popular Linux desktop globally can be largely attributed to its clean, simple, and intuitive user interface, ensuring a seamless user experience. This appeal makes it particularly well-suited for newcomers to the Linux world or Windows users making the transition to Linux. Ubuntu’s user-friendly design, combined with its extensive software ecosystem and strong community support, has established it as a go-to choice for those seeking an approachable and efficient introduction to the Linux operating system.
Ubuntu is the world’s most popular cloud operating system. No wonder, Microsoft partnered with Canonical (Ubuntu’s parent company) for Microsoft’s cloud system.
In 2020 hackers sold over 500,000 Zoom passwords on the dark web (Forbes): Criminals will often take advantage of events happening in the world, the concerns of their targets, and the vulnerability of society to make money. This was particularly evident in 2020 when countless hackers started sending COVID-themed phishing emails to attempt to hack personal and business accounts. Forbes reported in April 2020 that hackers stole and sold over 500,000 passwords for the popular video-conferencing tool, Zoom, which ended up on the dark web. The information included personal user names too.
French was the official language of England for over 300 years: After William the Conqueror of France completed the Norman Conquest of 1066, French became the official language of England. However, the language was mainly spoken by noblemen, whilst lower classes spoke English. French continued to be the official language of England until 1362. Historians believe that the country reverted to being English-speaking due to King John’s loss of the French region of Normandy in 1294. This was encouraged further by the 100-year War against France, which started in 1337. Despite this, French names were popular throughout England, with Richard, Robert and William still being common names to this day!
The top 5 dishes in England are… Whilst Chicken Tikka Masala may be the national dish, England’s top five most popular dishes include: 1. Full English Breakfast – The ultimate, fried classic that is bursting with a mixture of flavours. Including those from tomatoes, eggs, sausages and bacon. 2. Black Pudding – A blood sausage that consists of a mixture of pork or beef blood, cereal and fat. The English county of Lancashire is often associated with savoury pudding. 3. Devilled Kidneys – This dish has ties to the Victorian period, originating from gentlemen’s clubs in London. It comprises lamb kidneys simmered in a spiced sauce. 4. Eggy Bread – Inspired by French toast and believed to date back to the medieval period, eggy bread comes as it’s described! You can enjoy this as a sweet or savoury dish for breakfast/brunch. 5. Kedgeree – This meal is the English take on an Indian dish, khichdi. It is packed with different flavours, including spiced rice, eggs and fish.
Golf, the national sport of Scotland, was first played in Scotland itself and at one time it was so popular that James II had to ban it to ensure that army practices continue without any distractions.
Tea is the most popular drink in the UK and therefore was named as the national drink of the UK.
In a survey, it was proven that almost two in every five people in the UK love eggs for breakfast, making them the UK’s most popular breakfast food.
The most popular city in London was once known by names like Londinium and Ludenberg.
During the 1800s, the name Mary was so popular that nearly half of the female population was named Mary.
The popular city of the USA, Los Angeles, is recorded as the city with the most traffic in the US.
Tea Tradition: Tea is the most popular beverage in the UK, with the average Briton drinking 884 cups per year, adding to a remarkable 165 million cups drank daily nationwide.
National Twist: Although roast beef and Yorkshire beef are popular foods in the United Kingdom, chicken tikka has been declared as the country’s national dish. Chicken tikka is an Indian dish.
All dollar bills feature former presidents, except for the most popular, the $100. Benjamin Franklin has never been President of America.
In the Bahamas, since 2001, a denomination of 1/2 dollar has been in circulation. The banknote is very popular among numismatists.
The most popular tutorial that is searched for is “How to Kiss.” The second most searched-for tutorial is “How to tie a tie.”
The most popular topic that people search for is, of course, music!
YouTube is the second-most popular website on Earth.