Emojis are everywhere and are a clear sign of how far we’ve come since the age of the T9 keyboard, where combinations of special characters gave a hint of our emotions. Well, today is the 20th World Emoji Day, a celebration that owes credit to Jeremy Burge, the inventor of Emojipedia. And to commemorate the occasion, we decided to present a list of the 20 most used emojis.
To make this session a bit more fun, if you have a pen and some paper nearby or an easier way to make a comparison why not bring up the recently used emojis on your phone to see how they match this list and whether any of your favorites made it to the top.
These are the 20 most used emojis
Face with tears of joy
The Unicode Consortium Emoji Frequency Counter has two years of data, 2019 and 2021, and for its second run, the Face with Tears of Joy emoji tops the list. You’ve probably used this emoticon to express laughter, and we think it will definitely be the first with the number of times we all mash it when we see a meme.
red heart
Second on the list is the Red Heart emoticon. It’s not shocking to see this cute little vector on top as the easiest way to express affection in the digital world. See an adorable pet photo, affectionate message, or a loved one succeeding? The red heart is the perfect bundle to reply with to show your support and concern.
Rolling on the floor laughing
The Rolling on the Floor Laughing emoticon is one that has only been available since 2016, but its relevance is apparent as it rose from the previously reported 4th rank to 3rd on the list. We think it’s an even better response to a funny meme and believe it could be on its way to replace the current leader in the coming years.
Thumbs up
At number 4 we have the Thumbs Up. Would you like to confirm that you can cope with a crisis or already have it under control? Well, this emoticon is the perfect indicator of your position and confidence levels right now. In 2019, the emoji finished in 10th place and has since moved up six places, making it the most used emoji in the People and Body subcategory.
Loud crying face
Need to signify a sense of relief after an extremely dire situation or want to show how sad you are about what is happening? The Loudly Crying Emoji, which is in 5th place, has you covered. While it’s ideally suited to tricky situations, we’re happy when it’s given some context, it can have a positive spin.
folded hands
A sign of gratitude never goes unnoticed, even if someone doesn’t tell you outright. The clasped hands emoji (also mistaken for a high five before) is the perfect way to do this over text. Anyway, don’t forget to add some words to that. The emoji maintains its place as 6th compared to the table from 2019.
Face blows a kiss
After the red heart, the next emoticon showing a sign of affection on this list is the Face Blowing a Kiss. You’ll likely see it coming from your significant other, family, and close friends, especially if you’ve done a favor they need. The emoji also sees a rank jump, from 9th to 7th on the list.
Smiling face with hearts
Next, within the domain of affection, is the Smiling Face with Hearts. It makes a significant jump from the 16th to the 8th and we think it’s a great addition that perfectly expresses the softness of the love you have for someone. Remember that this emoji was only added to devices in 2018 and it may well be a contender for one of the top spots in the coming years.
Smiling face with heart eyes
After the other two is the Smiling Face with Heart eyes. We think this emoji is the perfect way to express a fondness for any item you’ve received a picture of. Be the mountains, a pet, a family photo or that fancy designer bag (or the latest technology here at Pocketnow); this emoji fits right in!
Unfortunately, according to reported data, the emoji is on its way down the ladder as it falls from 3rd to 9th.
Smiling face with smiling eyes
Rounding out the Top 10 is the smiling face with smiling eyes. The emoticon ranked 5th in 2019 and seems to be losing steam, but if you want to show someone that you appreciate what they’ve done for you without going overboard, it’s a great emoji to have on hand.
party stunner
Starting next ten is the Party Popper emoticon. Are you throwing a birthday dinner or celebrating a milestone? This emoji is the perfect way to show what’s about to happen. It is also an ideal emoji that can add a festive feeling to someone’s happy news that you received via text message.
The Party Popper makes a significant jump in the rankings, coming 14th in 11th place after finishing 35th in 2019. Perhaps, if he was aware, he could choose to celebrate his success 🎉.
Shining face with smiling eyes
At number 12, we have the beaming face with smiling eyes, an emoticon slightly up from the previously reported rank of 13. Want to signify happiness without going overboard or telling cheeky happy news? This emoji is the perfect choice for such scenarios.
two hearts
Returning to the emotion of affection, 13th on the list is the Two Hearts emoji. It is a nice little image to show your love for someone, similar to the red heart. Unfortunately, it seems to have lost its position as it dropped from the 7th place it had previously.
begging face
Next on the list is the Pleading Face emoji, arguably one of the cutest creations to make its way onto devices in 2019. Do you need a favor from someone or do you feel bad for putting someone in a difficult place? The Pleading Face can easily show your regret and let someone know how you feel about the situation.
The Pleading Face also made the biggest jump in the rankings on the list, going 14th out of 97th reported in 2019.
Grinning face with sweat
In 15th position we have the Grinning Face with Sweat. Have you ever found yourself in a difficult position and coming out of it by a narrow margin? The grinning face with sweat will act as the perfect emoji to show your emotion of relief when you tell the story to someone. Conversely, it can even indicate the nervousness you have in a problematic situation.
Unfortunately for the grinning face with sweat, there was a drop in the standings, putting it in 15th place instead of 11th. We wonder how it feels
Firework
In 16th place you will find the Fire emoji. It’s pretty easy to explain what it means; it’s only used to denote the element, right? We’re kidding. For the uninitiated, the Fire emoji serves not only as a way to refer to a real fire, but also to indicate that something is attractive or wonderful, whether in terms of value or otherwise.
However, the Fire emoji wouldn’t think the drop in ranking was Fire – the emoji dropped from 15th to 16th.
smiling face
Next up is the simple smiley face emoji. Introduced in 2010, it may be the simplest version of a smile you’ll find on your emoji keyboard. It has no colors and is probably the best choice if you like the minimalist lifestyle. Smiling Face has also improved in the rankings, from 26th to 17th place.
person who is facepalming
In issue 18 we have the Person Facepling emoticon. It enters the Top 20 after being ranked 34th in 2019. We’re shocked it isn’t higher, especially with all the stupid jokes and things that we humans generally play.
But if you want to show frustration, is this one of your go-tos? It’s mine.
Heart Suit
Joining the other hearts on this list is the Heart Suit. On some platforms, you may see this emoticon with a less polished finish than what you see on the 2nd-ranked Red Heart. The unique finish compared to other emoticons is probably one of the main reasons for the high ranking, which unfortunately is still a step lower than the previous 14th.
Person shrugging his shoulders
And rounding out this list is the Person Shrugging emoji. Are you in a conversation or situation where you can’t form a good link and come up with an answer or perfect answer? Well, this emoji is the ideal way to indicate your indifference to the screenplay or lack of information.
With that, we completed the collection of the Top 20 Emojis, according to the report published by the Unicode Consortium. We look forward to seeing how this list will change for 2022 or 2023 when they decide to release the next iteration.
What do you think of this collection? Have any of your favorites or recently used emojis made a list? Let us know with a comment below.