The 'My Middle Name? It's Koi' meme is a clever play on words that highlights the phonetic similarity between 'coy'—meaning shy or modest—and the 'koi' fish. Often featuring a bashful-looking koi fish or a person acting intentionally evasive, the template serves as the ultimate visual pun. It gained popularity in online communities that celebrate 'dad jokes' and aquatic life, eventually spreading to social media as a go-to reaction for when someone is being playfully mysterious or fishing for compliments. Its versatility allows users to swap the image or text to fit various scenarios where someone is hiding their true intentions behind a layer of faux-modesty.