Nah, it didn't start in 2023. I believe it started since Elon Musk promoted DOGE at around 2019 and 2021. I believe that was the start of the meme coin becoming more popular.
At that year, many coins appeared out of nowhere like SHIB which is now at the top. Although there are some meme coins that are still developing until now, most of them ended up as a scam coin as the developers just rug pulled their investors. Kind of unfortunate, but it is what it is.

Always take note that "the higher the rise, the higher the fall".

We might see new meme coins here and there, but most of them will fall out a few months from now. They're being created just for the sake of profit. There might be some that might stay, and develop the project, but most will not and will decide to rug pull to their investors like what happened in 2021. Meme coins are getting hyped, and when this happens, yes there are some who might become millionaires just by investing into these type of coins, but most will lose their money. Meme coins have changed the lives of the investors both negatively, and positively.

To all who wants to join the hype, always think thrice about it, and be ready for the possible risks, and losses that you might face.