153+ What Would You Call Jokes That’ll Earn a Groan In 2026 😂🐻

Updated:19 October 2026

You’re at a cookout, and a relative leans over and asks, “What do you call a fake noodle?” Everybody groans before the answer even lands. That groan is the whole point.

So what would you call jokes like this? They’re question-and-answer puns, and they’re one of the easiest ways to get a laugh in a group chat, a photo caption, or a lunch break. This page has 153+ clean what would you call jokes, sorted by use so you can grab one fast. Pick a favorite, borrow the format, and try writing your own near the end.

What Would You Call Jokes? A Quick Definition

What would you call jokes are short question-and-answer puns that start with “What do you call…” and end with a wordplay punchline. The answer sounds like a real word or phrase, but it also describes the thing in the question.

Take “What do you call a bear with no teeth?” The answer, a gummy bear, works because it’s a real candy and a literal description at the same time. That double meaning is the pun.

The word pun has been in English since the 1600s, and where it came from is still debated. The “What do you call” format is a riddle with the answer built in, which is why it spreads so easily from kid to kid and group chat to group chat.

Why the Format Works

The question sets a small trap. Your brain starts hunting for a real answer, and the pun swaps in a sound-alike instead. The groan is your brain admitting it got played.

The format is also easy to remember and easy to retell. That’s why these jokes travel through classrooms, family dinners, and text threads without anyone owning them. Most of the jokes below are classic, passed-around wordplay, sorted the way I actually use them.

Best What Would You Call Jokes for Quick Laughs

The best what would you call jokes have a one-word or two-word punchline you can say in under five seconds. These are the ones I reach for when I only have a moment, and they’re the ones that got the loudest groans when I tested them on my group chat.

• What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear.
• What do you call a can opener that doesn’t work? A can’t opener.
• What do you call a belt made out of watches? A waist of time.
• What do you call a fake stone in Ireland? A shamrock.
• What do you call a factory that makes okay products? A satisfactory.
• What do you call a snake that works for the government? A civil serpent.
• What do you call a boomerang that won’t come back? A stick.
• What do you call a group of musical whales? An orca-stra.
• What do you call a cow with two legs? Lean beef.
• What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef.
• What do you call a sleeping bull? A bulldozer.
• What do you call a pencil with no point? Pointless.
• What do you call a dentist in the army? A drill sergeant.
• What do you call a calendar full of fruit? A bunch of dates.

The cow pair is my favorite two-for-one. Say them back to back and people laugh at the second one because they saw it coming.

Animal What Would You Call Jokes

Animal what would you call jokes are the biggest group in this format, because animal names are packed with sounds that double as other words. A fish can be fancy, a dog can be a magician, and a dinosaur can crash a car.

If you only learn one section of this page, make it this one. Animal puns land with almost every age group, and they’re easy to tell out loud.

• What do you call a fish wearing a bowtie? Sofishticated.
• What do you call a pig that does karate? A pork chop.
• What do you call a lazy kangaroo? A pouch potato.
• What do you call a dog that does magic tricks? A labracadabrador.
• What do you call a cat that loves to bowl? An alley cat.
• What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator.
• What do you call a sheep with no legs? A cloud.
• What do you call a bee that lives in America? A USB.
• What do you call a deer with no eyes? No idea.
• What do you call a horse that lives next door? A neigh-bor.
• What do you call a duck that gets all A’s? A wise quacker.
• What do you call two birds in love? Tweethearts.
• What do you call a fish that plays the piano? A piano tuna.
• What do you call a cow that plays music? A moo-sician.
• What do you call a cow during an earthquake? A milkshake.
• What do you call a dinosaur in a car crash? Tyrannosaurus wrecks.
• What do you call a line of rabbits walking backward? A receding hare-line.
• What do you call a sad frog? Unhoppy.

Food What Would You Call Jokes

Food what would you call jokes turn snacks and ingredients into punchlines. They work well as captions on a restaurant photo or a meal-prep post, and they get a smile from people who didn’t even ask for a joke.

• What do you call cheese that isn’t yours? Nacho cheese.
• What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta.
• What do you call a sad cup of coffee? Depresso.
• What do you call a nosy pepper? Jalapeño business.
• What do you call a chicken staring at a head of lettuce? A chicken Caesar salad, because it’s “chicken sees a salad.”
• What do you call a sad strawberry? A blueberry.
• What do you call a bagel that can fly? A plain bagel.
• What do you call a mushroom that’s the life of the party? A fungi, as in “fun guy.”
• What do you call an egg that tells great jokes? A cracker-upper.
• What do you call two bananas? A pair of slippers.
• What do you call a peanut in a spacesuit? An astro-nut.

The mushroom one needs a quick out-loud delivery. Pause before “fungi” and let people work out the “fun guy” part on their own.

What Would You Call Jokes With Names

Name jokes turn a first name into the punchline by describing something that sounds like it. These live or die by sound, so they work best when you say them rather than text them.

They’re also the easiest ones to remix. Once you see the pattern, you’ll start hearing puns in every name you meet.

• What do you call a man with a rubber toe? Roberto.
• What do you call a man with a spade on his head? Dug.
• What do you call a girl with a frog on her head? Lily.
• What do you call a boy with a car on his head? Jack.
• What do you call a man lying in a pile of leaves? Russell.
• What do you call a woman standing between two goalposts? Annette.
• What do you call a boy named Lee that nobody talks to? Lonely.
• What do you call a man with no body and just a nose? Nobody knows.

Holiday and Seasonal What Would You Call Jokes

Holiday what would you call jokes borrow the mood of a season, which makes them perfect for cards, party games, and seasonal social posts. Save these and pull them out when the calendar gives you an excuse.

Winter Holiday Jokes

• What do you call a snowman with a six-pack? An abdominal snowman.
• What do you call a snowman in July? A puddle.
• What do you call Santa’s helpers? Subordinate Clauses.
• What do you call an elf who sings? A wrapper.
• What do you call a reindeer with no eyes and no legs? Still no-eye-deer.

Halloween and Valentine’s Day Jokes

• What do you call a ghost’s mom and dad? Transparents.
• What do you call a skeleton who won’t get off the couch? Lazy bones.
• What do you call a haunted chicken? A poultry-geist.
• What do you call a witch who lives at the beach? A sand-witch.
• What do you call a very small valentine? A valen-tiny.

Clean What Would You Call Jokes for Kids

Clean what would you call jokes for kids keep the wordplay simple and the punchline gentle. They’re safe for classrooms, lunchboxes, and family road trips, and kids tend to love repeating them until the adults beg for mercy.

If you’re reading these to a younger child, say the setup slowly. Let them guess before you give the answer. The guessing is half the fun.

• What do you call a bear with no ears? B.
• What do you call a dog with no legs? Anything you want, he still won’t come.
• What do you call a dinosaur with a big vocabulary? A thesaurus.
• What do you call a pile of kittens? A meowtain.
• What do you call a pony with a sore throat? A little hoarse.
• What do you call a bear in the rain? A drizzly bear.
• What do you call a sleeping dinosaur? A dino-snore.
• What do you call a dinosaur that never gives up? A Try-ceratops.
• What do you call an elephant that doesn’t matter? An irrelephant.
• What do you call a train that carries bubble gum? A chew-chew train.

What Would You Call Jokes for Texts and Captions

The best what would you call jokes for texts and captions are short, relatable, and tied to something real in your day. A pun about coffee, your phone battery, or your dog does more work than a random animal joke.

Post the setup as the caption and put the answer in the first comment, or send the question in a text and wait. The pause builds the groan.

• What do you call a group chat that never sleeps? A notification avalanche.
• What do you call a friend who says “on my way” from the couch? A professional optimist.
• What do you call a selfie with your dog? A pawtrait.
• What do you call a Monday without coffee? A decaf-astrophe.
• What do you call a two-day weekend? A speed run.
• What do you call a sandwich photo that took ten minutes to line up? A sandwich-terpiece.
• What do you call a phone at 1 percent battery? A cliffhanger.

What Would You Do? Season 19

• What Is What Would You Do? Season 19 About?
• Is What Would You Do? Returning for Season 19?
• What Is the Release Date for What Would You Do? Season 19?
• Where Can You Watch What Would You Do? Season 19?
• How Many Episodes Are in Season 19 of What Would You Do?
• What Are the Most Memorable Moments From Season 19?
• What Types of Social Experiments Appear in Season 19?
• Are the Reactions on What Would You Do? Real?
• Who Appears in What Would You Do? Season 19?
• Where Can You Find Updates About the New Season?

What Would You Do? Song

• Who Originally Sang the Song “What Would You Do?”
• What Is the Song “What Would You Do?” About?
• When Was “What Would You Do?” Released?
• Who Wrote the Song “What Would You Do?”
• What Genre of Music Is “What Would You Do?”
• Why Is the Song “What Would You Do?” So Popular?
• What Are the Main Themes of the Song?
• Where Can You Listen to “What Would You Do?”
• What Makes the Song Different From Other Popular Songs?
• Which Artists Have Released Songs Called “What Would You Do?”

Where to Watch What Would You Do?

• Where Can You Watch Full Episodes of What Would You Do?
• Is What Would You Do? Available on YouTube?
• Can You Watch What Would You Do? Online for Free?
• Is What Would You Do? Available on Streaming Services?
• How Can You Find Older Episodes of the Show?
• Where Can You Watch the Latest What Would You Do? Episodes?
• Is What Would You Do? Available on ABC?
• Can You Watch What Would You Do? on a Smart TV?
• Are Full Episodes Available on the Official Website?
• How Can International Viewers Watch What Would You Do?

What Would You Do? (2009)

• What Is What Would You Do? (2009) About?
• Who Created the What Would You Do? Television Show?
• When Did What Would You Do? First Premiere?
• Who Hosted the Original Version of the Show?
• How Does the Show Use Hidden Cameras?
• Are the Scenarios on What Would You Do? Staged?
• How Do Actors Participate in the Social Experiments?
• What Social Issues Does the Show Explore?
• Why Did What Would You Do? Become Popular?
• How Has the Show Changed Since Its Early Seasons?

What Would You Do? Show Host

• Who Is the Host of What Would You Do?
• What Is the Host of What Would You Do? Known For?
• How Long Has the Host Presented the Show?
• What Is the Host’s Role in the Social Experiments?
• Does the Host Interact With Participants?
• How Does the Host Explain Each Experiment?
• What Other Television Programs Has the Host Presented?
• How Does the Host Reveal the Hidden-Camera Scenarios?
• What Makes the Host a Good Fit for the Show?
• Where Can You Find More Information About the Host?

What Would You Do? Lyrics

• What Is the Meaning Behind “What Would You Do?” Lyrics?
• Who Wrote the Lyrics to “What Would You Do?”
• What Emotions Do the Lyrics Express?
• What Is the Main Message of the Song?
• Why Do Listeners Relate to the Lyrics?
• What Inspired the Song “What Would You Do?”
• How Do the Lyrics Connect With the Song’s Title?
• Where Can You Find the Official Lyrics?
• What Makes the Song’s Chorus Memorable?
• How Has the Song’s Meaning Been Interpreted by Fans?

What Would You Do? on YouTube

• Can You Watch What Would You Do? on YouTube?
• Where Can You Find Official Clips From the Show?
• Are Full Episodes of What Would You Do? Available on YouTube?
• What Are the Most Popular What Would You Do? Videos?
• How Can You Find the Show’s Best Social Experiments?
• Are Behind-the-Scenes Videos Available Online?
• Where Can You Watch Classic Episodes and Reactions?
• How Can You Identify the Official YouTube Channel?
• Why Do Clips From What Would You Do? Get Shared Online?
• Can You Find Recent Updates About the Show on YouTube?

What Would You Do? in 2026

• Is What Would You Do? Still on Television in 2026?
• Is a New Season of What Would You Do? Planned for 2026?
• Where Can You Find the Latest News About the Show?
• Are New Episodes of What Would You Do? Available in 2026?
• What Social Issues Could the Show Explore Today?
• How Has Audience Interest in the Show Changed?
• Where Can You Watch Recent Clips and Updates?
• Is the Show Still Relevant to Modern Social Issues?
• What Can Viewers Expect From Future Episodes?
• How Can Fans Stay Updated on the Show’s Status?

What Would You Do? Song Meaning and Popular Versions

• Why Have Multiple Songs Been Released With the Title “What Would You Do?”
• How Can You Identify the Original Artist of a Song?
• What Is the Difference Between the Song and the TV Show?
• Which Version of “What Would You Do?” Is Most Popular?
• How Do Different Artists Interpret the Same Title?
• What Themes Commonly Appear in Songs With This Title?
• Where Can You Compare Different Versions of the Song?
• How Do Music Videos Add Meaning to the Lyrics?
• Why Do Song Titles Sometimes Overlap With Television Titles?
• How Can You Find the Correct Song Using Its Lyrics or Artist?

Frequently Asked Questions About What Would You Do?

• What is What Would You Do? about?
• Who hosts What Would You Do?
• Is What Would You Do? a real show?
• Are the situations on What Would You Do? scripted?
• Where can I watch What Would You Do?
• Is What Would You Do? returning in 2026?
• What is the song “What Would You Do?” about?
• Who sings “What Would You Do?”
• Where can I find What Would You Do? clips on YouTube?
• What is the difference between What Would You Do? the show and the song?

How to Write Your Own What Would You Call Jokes

To write a what would you call joke, pick a thing, find a word or phrase that sounds like part of it, and build a question that points at that sound. The punchline should feel obvious the second someone hears it.

Here’s the method I use when I’m stuck:

• Start with the punchline. Pick a funny word or phrase first, like “investigator” or “Tyrannosaurus wrecks.”
• Split it into sounds. “Investigator” becomes “in-vest-i-gator,” which hides both a vest and an alligator.
• Describe the pieces. Now the question writes itself: an alligator in a vest.
• Keep the setup short. If the question takes longer than the answer, trim it.
• Read it out loud. If you stumble, your listener will too.

Try it with “Tyrannosaurus wrecks.” The sound-alike is “Rex,” so the setup is a dinosaur that crashed. Done in two lines.

Common Mistakes

Most weak puns fail because the sound-alike is too far from the real word. If you have to explain the pun, it isn’t ready.

Accents matter too. A pun that works in one part of the US can flop in another, and some words, like “herb,” get said differently depending on who’s talking. Test your joke on a friend before you post it.

Telling What Would You Call Jokes Out Loud

Timing matters as much as the pun. A good delivery can save a so-so joke, and a rushed one can sink a great one.

• Ask the question clearly. Slow down on the last word of the setup.
• Pause for two seconds. Let people try to guess.
• Say the punchline once. Don’t repeat it or explain it.
• Own the groan. A groan means the joke worked.

More Joke Categories to Try Next

If you enjoyed these, a few close cousins are worth a look. Each one uses the same wordplay muscles in a slightly different way.

• Animal puns for captions and cards
• Food puns for restaurant posts and recipe pages
• Knock-knock jokes for kids and classrooms
• Dad jokes for group chats and family dinners
• Holiday puns for seasonal posts and party games

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “would you” mean?

The phrase “would you” is commonly used to ask polite questions, make requests, or talk about imaginary situations. For example, “Would you help me?” is a polite way to ask for assistance, while “What would you do if you won the lottery?” asks someone to imagine a situation. The meaning depends on the context, but it often expresses possibility, willingness, or a hypothetical action.

Is What Would You Do? staged?

The show is partly staged, but the bystanders’ reactions are generally real. ABC uses actors to create planned scenarios, while hidden cameras record how unsuspecting people respond. The purpose is to explore whether people intervene, offer help, or ignore difficult situations. ABC has explained this format in its official description of the show.

Where can I watch all seasons of What Would You Do?

You can start with the official ABC website, which offers episodes and clips of What Would You Do? at ABC’s official show page. You can also check Hulu, where the available seasons depend on the current catalog.

Not every season is necessarily available on one service, and streaming access may vary by country. If you are looking for every season, check the episode listings on ABC first.

What would you ask of me?

The phrase “What would you ask of me?” means “What would you want me to do for you?” or “What favor would you request from me?” It is often used when someone wants to know how they can help, what another person expects from them, or what they can do to meet someone’s needs. For example, if a friend says, “I need your help,” you might respond, “What would you ask of me?” to invite them to explain what they need.

Final Thoughts

What would you call jokes? Small bundles of wordplay that cost nothing and get a groan every time. They work on kids, coworkers, cousins, and strangers in line, because everyone enjoys being tricked by a pun.Pick two or three from this page and use them this week. Send one in a group chat, read one at dinner, or write your own using the steps above. Then share your best one with a friend who needs a laugh.