SpongeBob SquarePants (born July 14, 1986) is the main protagonist of the animated series of the same name. He was designed by show creator and former marine biologist, the late Stephen Hillenburg. Hillenburg based SpongeBob on Bob the Sponge, a character he had created for his educational book The Intertidal Zone in the late 1980s.

SpongeBob appears in some form in every episode of the series, beginning with the series’ debut episode, “Help Wanted.” He is voiced by Tom Kenny, who is married to Karen Plankton’s voice actress, Jill Talley.