The 'West Elm Caleb' meme originated in early 2022 when a group of women on TikTok realized they were all dating the same man, a furniture designer for West Elm in New York City. The saga went viral as users shared stories of his alleged 'love bombing' and 'ghosting' behavior, turning the name Caleb into a symbol for modern dating cautionary tales. While the meme initially served as a 'whisper network' for local daters, it quickly evolved into a broader cultural moment about accountability and the pitfalls of dating apps. Today, the template is used to satirize dating red flags, NYC lifestyle tropes, and the speed at which internet 'villains' are identified and scrutinized by the collective consciousness.