Technically, “mermaiding” is not a word because mermaids do not exist outside of mythology, dreams, books, and movies. But in today’s strange world, where people often pretend to be something other than their real selves, mermaiding seems relatively benign. So, mermaids have now evolved into MerPeople (also called MerFolk). Netflix has documented the phenomenon, so it must be a real imaginary thing, not a fake imaginary thing.
In the Beginning
The current crop of MerFolk is likely unaware that the myth surrounding them dates back at least to 1000 BC in Syria. There, a myth emerged about Atargatis, a goddess who transformed into a fish after accidentally killing her lover. Her beauty prevented her from achieving a full ichthyological transformation, leaving us with a creature that is half-fish, half-person.
And then there was Oannes, a Babylonian half-man, half-fish who, according to legend, emerged from the sea to teach humanity. There are numerous references to half-fish, half-human creatures throughout history.
The Greeks, long known for creating family trees for their gods and goddesses, did the same for their merfolk myths. The mermaids seem to have evolved from a myth about Alexander the Great’s sister, Thessalonike, who was transformed into a mermaid after her death. She would linger and challenge sailors with the question, “Is King Alexander alive?” If the sailors responded, “He lives and reigns and conquers the world,” she let them live. Any other response, and she destroyed them with her more sinister form.
Not to be outdone, Christopher Columbus documented sightings of mermaids as he sailed the Caribbean. Most believe his sightings were manatees, so I would certainly question his eyesight. Manatees hardly look like mermaids or merfolk, but maybe this is a byproduct of long days and nights at sea.
As a fringe topic and myth in their day, historians would never understand the rise to prominence and social acceptance that MerFolk enjoy today through social media.
MerFolk Today
Today’s MerFolk face a very different challenge. In a world dominated by social media, the internet, and thousands of alternatives, how do you stand out? How do you capture attention in an attention-obsessed world? How do you become relevant?
Unfortunately for them, the MerFolk may remain an obscure subculture or cult. Mermaiding sits at the intersection of cosplay and exercise, a polite way of saying it is neither one nor the other. It is too whimsical to be taken seriously as fitness and too athletic to be dismissed as pure fantasy. This leaves MerFolk in a curious middle space: earnest, enthusiastic, and slightly out of step with the rest of us. Well, maybe a little more than slightly out of step.
Still, the appeal is obvious to attention-seeking fringe elements. The tail offers transformation without commitment. You can be a mermaid for an hour and then disguise yourself as a regular person again by lunchtime. For adults, this is harmless escapism. For children, it is magic. And because magic photographs well, mermaiding has become a small but steady presence on some social media platforms that reward novelty.
And this is where things start to drift from charming to strange. The moment a hobby becomes content, it ceases to be private. Pools become stages, and cosplay becomes an obsession. Tails become costumes. Children become performers, whether they intend to or not. Most MerFolk communities understand this and try to keep things wholesome and well-supervised. The internet, however, is not known for restraint.
Mermaiding has the potential to slide into the same territory as extreme cosplay — where the costume stops being an accessory and becomes an identity. What begins as exercise and community can morph into something more consuming. The tail becomes a symbol, then a persona, then a requirement. And once a hobby demands devotion, it is no longer a hobby.
There Is Danger Here
The danger is not that mermaiding is strange or cultlike. Strange hobbies are common and keep the rest of us entertained. The danger is that mermaiding can become yet another identity performance in a world already choked with them on social media. When every pastime has to be photographed, narrated, posted, and admired, even fantasy starts to feel real for those on the fringe. At some point, the tail stops being a prop and becomes an appendage.
For some MerFolk, the transformation is freeing. For others, it becomes a gentle sort of trap. The internet rewards spectacle, and mermaiding offers plenty of it. But the pressure to appear whimsical, ethereal, and aquatic can turn a simple escape into something compulsory.
There is also the risk of taking the fantasy too literally. A few MerFolk describe their tail as their “truest self,” which is charming until it becomes confining. Humans were not designed to glide silently through chlorinated water, pretending to be half-fish. We were designed to be awkward, terrestrial, and occasionally ridiculous. Escapism can be healthy; self-delusion is not.
And then there is the issue of cost. Innocent but expensive hobbies can draw people into this fringe of society. A handmade monofin can cost thousands, and once you have joined this cult, one fin is never enough.
Thinking of Joining
The danger is not the tail. The danger is the world around it. Any hobby involving children, costumes, and cameras carries risk, and mermaiding is no exception. Most MerFolk are kind, creative, and protective of their own. The internet, however, is not known for good intentions. When children appear online in tails — often in swimsuits, often underwater — they can attract attention from people seeking something other than whimsy.
This is not a problem created by mermaiding. It is the same old issue that turns up in dance studios, gymnastics teams, cosplay halls, and even school plays. The moment a child’s hobby drifts onto the internet, it steps into a space where strangers can watch, comment, and linger longer than anyone wants. The fantasy may be harmless. The audience rarely is.
Parents who mermaid with their kids describe it as magical, confidence-building, and a welcome break from the ordinary. It can be all of those things. But it also requires the vigilance modern life demands of every parent. A pool may feel safe. A tail may feel innocent. The internet is neither.
This is why many mermaiding groups now set firm rules on photography, supervision, and online sharing. They recognize that the myth is enchanting, but the risks are real. Childhood is short, fragile, and worth protecting — even from the deep end of the pool.
Fantasy mermaids may exist in pools, but if you are invited to join, do so with the wariness of the sailors of old. Not all merfolk are kind, friendly, and well-intended.
Resources and Further Reading
Alexander the Great’s Sister, Thessalonike, and the Mermaid Legend, by Alexander Gale, Greek Reporter, greekreporter.com, July 17, 2025.
Are Mermaids Real? And What’s With All this Mermaiding?, Daniel Dashnaw, danieldashnawcouplestherapy.com, July 28, 2025.
Atargatis, Wikipedia, wikipedia.org, Last accessed January 10, 2026.
From Folklore to Fantasy: Exploring Mermaids in Literature and Cinema, Mythology Worldwide, mythologyworldwide.com, September 9, 2024.
Mermaids in popular culture, Wikipedia, wikipedia.org, Last accessed January 10, 2026.
Tales from the Deep: Uncovering the Ancient Origins of Mermaids, by Rida Nasir, OceanINFO, oceaninfo.com, Last accessed January 9, 2026.
Mermaiding: the underwater subculture on the rise, by Genevieve Bates, The Week, theweek.com, August 25, 2025.
Mermaiding is the queer subculture promoting self-acceptance, by Darshita Goyal, i-d.co, August 24, 2022.
In a stressful human world, ‘mermaiding’ gains popularity in D.C. area, by Dana Munro, The Washington Post, washingtonpost.com, July 28, 2025.
“Mermaid” Subculture Relates to Many Things, by Kristen Gelineau, VOA News, voanews.com, July 15, 2022.
Fin-tastic! AP dives deep into the world of mermaiding, by Kristen Gelineau, Associated Press, AP.orgv, July 1, 2022.
Our Mermaid Craze / Our Mermaid Craze: An Introduction, by Jessica Pressman, ASAP Review, asapjournal.com, April 24, 2024.
“Mermaiding” makes a splash as increasingly popular subculture, by Staff, MyUpNow, myupnow.com, June 23, 2022.
What Is Mermaiding? The Aquatic Fitness Trend Taking the Internet by Storm, by Supriya Ramesh, Healthandme, healthandme.com, August 12, 2025.
