For better or worse, this has been the year of the Megans. Featuring gay icons and literal royalty, here are our picks of the best and worst of 2023.

Reckon’s Best Megans:

M3GAN

The horror movie “M3GAN” was released Jan. 6, but the movie was trending since the trailer dropped. The story focuses on M3GAN, a lifelike doll powered by AI who becomes best friends with her creator’s niece. However, M3GAN’s true evil intentions begin to show, putting her creator and family in danger. With killer dance moves and vocals to match, social media adopted the doll as a gay icon.

“I love how one cute little hiproll elevated M3gan into instant gay icon status and now her movie is LGBT cinema. Well tf played,” X user Stevie Mat said in a Jan. 6 post. The idea of having a “found family” also deeply resonated with those in the LGBTQIA+ community, with M3GAN’s creator’s niece losing her parents and finding comfort through the doll. The sequel “M3GAN 2.0″ was confirmed to be released in Jan. 2025, so there’s a potential for more dance routines and memes to come.

Megan Thee Stallion

Rap superstar Megan Thee Stallion, also known as Megan Pete, has not only been able to give back, but take over the entertainment world this year, too. As the “Hot Girl Dean” of Flamin’ Hot University, a collaboration with the brand Frito-Lay’s, she established the $175,000 Flamin’ Hot Scholarship fund at her alma mater Texas Southern University earlier this year.

Ms. Pete collaborated with the mental health organization “Seize the Awkward” in order to raise awareness about checking in on those you care about, especially the “strong ones.” Her organization, the Pete & Thomas Foundation partnered with organizations like Houston’s Bread of Life, Inc. to be able to feed and provide resources for those in need in the area.

Entertainment-wise, she had her big screen debut in A24′s “Dicks: The Musical,” which started limited releases on Oct. 6. Weeks earlier, she performed her mega-hit “Savage Remix” with global icon Beyoncé Knowles at their RENAISSANCE World Tour at both Houston shows Sept. 23 and 24. Also, she started “Act One” of her new musical era and released her single “Cobra” on Nov. 3. The single gave listeners an inside look of her mental health and inspired other “strong Black women” around her.

Megan Rapinoe

Acclaimed soccer player Megan Rapinoe announced July 8 that she would be retiring from professional soccer at the end of this year’s National Women’s Soccer League season. While playing with Team USA, Rapinoe won a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games, two World Cups in 2015 and 2019, and a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games.

Throughout her career, she was an advocate for voting rights, racial inequality, LGBTQIA+ rights, and more. For example, in a July interview with TIME, Rapinoe spoke out against the politics attempting to ban trans women from women’s sports. “It’s particularly frustrating when women’s sports is weaponized. Oh, now we care about fairness? Now we care about women’s sports? That’s total bulls**t. Show me all the trans people who are nefariously taking advantage of being trans in sports. It’s just not happening,” Rapinoe said in the interview.

Social media as well as Rapinoe’s teammates like Ali Krieger have shown their respect towards Rapinoe’s impact on the sport and beyond. “There’s just legacy that she’s leaving. Not only just being a great footballer, but an incredible person and advocate for what’s right…I’m inspired by her,” Krieger said about Rapinoe in Aug. 2023.

Reckon’s Worst Megans:

Megan Fox

With a resume including the “Transformers” franchise and cult favorite “Jennifer’s Body,” actress Megan Fox is well-known in Hollywood. However, she recently came under fire for her Halloween costume choice and its Instagram post.

On Oct. 28, Fox posted a picture of her costume as Gogo Yubari from 2003′s “Kill Bill Vol. 1.” Her caption simply tagged the labor union @sagaftra, who posted rules on Oct. 19 concerning Halloween costumes that year due to the Hollywood strike. Stating that actors should stay away from costumes from “struck content,” actors including Fox made fun of the announcement. “I look forward to screaming ‘scab’ at my 8 year old all night. She’s not in the union but she needs to learn,” actor Ryan Reynolds said in a post on X Oct. 19.

Others in Hollywood, however, did not find Fox’s post to be funny. Actress Lisa Anne Walter called out Fox for her post on Oct. 29 on X, stating, “What a rebel. Keep posturing for stupid s***, pretty lady. Meanwhile we’ll be working 10 hours a day – unpaid – to get basic contract earners a fair deal,.”

Meghan McCain

Yes, there is an extra “H,” but they are still Megan. Despite leaving the TV show “The View” in 2021, McCain, the daughter of former U.S. senator John McCain, has still made moves in the entertainment industry this year. McCain launched her production company Citizen Cain Productions in Oct., which will “produce podcasts, scripted, unscripted and documentary content for all platforms with a mission to tell female-led and American stories,” according to an Oct. 13 article by Variety announcing the news. On her new podcast, “Meghan McCain Has Entered The Chat,” which also launched in Oct., she features guests including Senator Ted Cruz.

Regardless of the career choices she has made, people are still not fans online. A Reddit thread from Oct. titled “Meghan McCain is a disgusting human being” has numerous comments calling her “arrogant” and “hateful.” X user Tony Posnanski in Mar. 2021 said that they “hate Meghan McCain more and more each day because she always trends for being absolutely horrible.” From controversial remarks she has made to controversial guests like former congressman George Santos on her podcast, McCain has remained a figure that receives criticism in person and online.

Meghan Markle

Double the Meghans. In August 2022, the podcast “Archetypes” from Meghan Markle started its first season. Featuring guests such as Issa Rae and Jameela Jamil, the season had 12 episodes total. Despite earning positive reviews and even a People’s Choice Award, it was announced in June that the show was canceled. The podcast was part of a deal that Markle and husband Prince Harry created with Spotify to create original content. Along with the Spotify loss, USA Today reported on Dec. 13 that the couple had suffered a donation drop of $11 million this year towards their Archewell Foundation. A Newsweek report also released on Dec. 13 found that Markle’s approval ratings slightly improved in America this year, but are still low. Out of those surveyed, Markle is liked by “38 percent [of those surveyed] and disliked by 23 percent putting her on plus 15, a swing of 13 points compared to September, when she was on minus 2.”

Megyn Kelly

Another Megan variant. Journalist and host of the “Megyn Kelly Show,” Megyn Kelly, came back to the debate stage on Dec. 7. In August 2015, Kelly called out Trump for his misogynistic comments. In response, Trump called her a “bimbo” and said that there was “blood coming out of her wherever.” Since that debate, Kelly has launched her own show interviewing controversial conservative figures such as Tucker Carlson and Michael Franzese. Telling people to boycott public figures like Taylor Swift on Dec. 12, people called out Kelly for her harmful commentary.

X user Kathy on Dec. 12 said “what a sad, pathetic take, Megyn. She attended a comedy show with proceeds going to support HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS in Gaza, where thousands have died and more will,” When it comes to how Kelly handles herself in debates, social media has plenty to say on that, too. “So, what I learned from reading about the debates – Megyn Kelly is still an ass. Else not much,” X user Gene J said Dec. 7.