This is clearly not that; everyone knows that the common icon for a heart is a cartoon. I - and probably most people - was not aware that the common depiction of butterflies is in a form they rarely take during life.
Funny story - just the other day my 4 year old daughter was wondering if the hearts in our bodies looked like the shape she knew as a "heart" because it didn't look that way in the Magic Schoolbus episode she'd just watched about Ms Frizzle's vascular system (where the heart was depicted in a more-or-less anatomically correct manner). It was an adorable moment.
Yes, yes. I was just poking fun. Like the other commenter, I too have small kids and have had to explain to both of them the shape of the human heart and how it differs from the heart shape.
I always thought it was supposed to represent fusing 2 hearts together. A bit grim but hey...
https://i.imgur.com/5DtIqYg.jpg
The heart symbol is a silphium seed pod.
(See also: Cunningham's Law)
Well, the inverted scrotum we use right now is a better symbol of lust anyway.
Great, I'll never be able to un-see that.
For a very long time I thought <3 was a variation of :3
Thank you, you will now make me picture a scrotum with eyes everytime I see that.
Let me introduce you to the record label called Love Records and their logo.
Is it? I'm not sure I'd be feeling so lusty if someone inverted mine.
I always thought it looked like a butt, from the point of view of a person getting oral from the owner of said butt.
The heart shape may come from the shape of the seeds of the extinct silphium plant, which were associated with love and sex because of their use as a contraceptive.
Meh. The heart icon has nothing to do with the anatomical heart, but it represents love. Love has nothing to do with the anatomical heart. So, apart from the name, they don't share any aspects; they're not workable drop-in replacements for each other.