Little is known about who first recorded Mylène Merguez, and the file circulates simply as a short French phone recording shared between friends. Its spread comes from that simplicity, as the odd pairing of a first name and merguez is easy to quote, remix and send as a WhatsApp style audio. Creators reuse it as a random punchline rather than a reference to a film or show, which helps it fit many different jokes without needing explanation or prior knowledge of French culture.