The phrase 'girl dad' was popularised after the tragic passing away of NBA star Kobe Bryant in a 2020 helicopter crash. The athlete died alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. It is used to refer to dads who have daughters and is often used to capture the love between fathers and their daughters.
The 'girl dad' hashtag has been described as "a positive response to how society should be, but we are not quite there."