Pagani And Subaru
Also known as: I Call Patrick Subaru · I Call SpongeBob Pagani
Pagani and Subaru is a SpongeBob SquarePants meme trend where fans refer to the show's characters by car brand names: SpongeBob is "Pagani," Patrick Star is "Subaru," Squidward is "Nissan," and Mr. Krabs is "Toyota." The trend originated from a 2021 SpongeBob Fandom wiki comment by a user named Kylie (Kmh1481), who casually called Patrick "Subaru" because she thought the name sounded cute. The comment sat dormant for four years before exploding on TikTok in March 2025, spawning thousands of videos and expanding into a full cast of car-themed nicknames.
TL;DR
Pagani and Subaru is a SpongeBob SquarePants meme trend where fans refer to the show's characters by car brand names: SpongeBob is "Pagani," Patrick Star is "Subaru," Squidward is "Nissan," and Mr.
Overview
Origin & Background
How It Spread
How to Use This Meme
The format is straightforward: take any SpongeBob content (clips, screenshots, or original edits) and replace character names with their car brand equivalents. The standard mapping is:
- Patrick Star → Subaru - SpongeBob → Pagani - Squidward → Nissan - Mr. Krabs → Toyota
Posts typically use these names in captions as though they're the characters' real names, with no explanation. The humor comes from total commitment to the bit. Common formats include compilation videos ("Best Subaru moments"), captioned screenshots ("nah but why pagani wearing mr.toyotas skin"), and meme posts referencing in-show events using the car names.
Cultural Impact
Fun Facts
Kylie chose the name "Subaru" purely because words ending in "u" sound cute to her, not because of any car connection.
A Patrick Subaru car dealership actually exists in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, which fans discovered after the meme went viral.
The Subaru car logo features six stars, matching Patrick's surname "Star".
Kylie personally asked voice actor Bill Fagerbakke to say "Subaru" in an episode during a virtual auction. Fans think his line "And I'm affordable car" in Episode 305 was a deliberate nod.
Some TikTokers accused the "Pagani" extension of being a forced meme, since it emerged to ride the coattails of the organic "Subaru" trend.
Derivatives & Variations
Nissan (Squidward)
— Fans extended the car-naming convention to Squidward, calling him "Nissan" in posts and videos[1][3].
Toyota (Mr. Krabs)
— Mr. Krabs picked up the nickname "Toyota" or "Mr. Toyota" as the trend expanded to the full SpongeBob cast[4].
"Best Subaru moments" compilations
— TikTok creators cut together Patrick Star highlight reels under the Subaru name, with @clipstiktok766's version reaching over 800,000 views[1].
Frequently Asked Questions
References (6)
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4Pagani and Subaru - Know Your Memeencyclopedia
- 5Top Gear (2002 TV series)encyclopedia
- 6Pagani and Subaru - Urban Dictionarydictionary