[jevogel]

These are called kaomoji. More generally, emoticons.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emoticons

[dspillett]

Sometimes referred to as smilies, though IMO that word describes the 3ish character subset that look like a face at 90 degrees⁰, and predating emoji¹ by quite some time².

----

[0] Like :-)

[0] and many many others: ;-) :-( :-| :-p 8-) …

[1] the graphical alternatives

[2] first commonly used in the early 80s, even before my time online, where emoji turned up right at the end of the 90s

[baxtr]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)