How Do You Pronounce Elon Musk’s Son’s Name?
X Æ A-12 Musk, the son of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and musician Grimes is one of the most difficult baby names to pronounce. Speculations ran wild with even the most eloquent of tongues tripping over the rather complicated name.
The name is actually pronounced as ‘ex ash a-twelve’ and no one was more surprised than when Elon himself took to Twitter to clear the air regarding the much-speculated name of his son.
Origin of the Name X Æ A-12
The name X Æ A-12 made headlines in May 2020 when Elon’s partner, Grimes, announced the arrival of their baby. To settle the mystery and commotion created about the pronunciation of the name, both Grimes and Elon proceeded to explain the meaning behind their son’s unique name.
According to Grimes, the A-12 in their son’s name stands for ‘Archangel-12’, a nod to the original secret aircraft project of the CIA which she was inspired by. The letter X is simply the unknown variable in mathematics, representing the possibility of anything to exist while the Æ is a letter in the ancient language of her grandfather.
Breakdown of Pronunciation
As complicated as it sounds, pronouncing the name of Elon Musk’s son is relatively simple. The ‘x’ is pronounced as the letter ‘x’ from the English alphabet, while the ‘æ’ is adopted from the Icelandic language and pronounced as ‘ash’. The ‘a-12’ is where it gets slightly tricky. According to both Elon and Grimes, the letter should be vocalised as ‘a-twelve’. which when put together spells out X Æ A-12.
Backlash of Unestablishmentted Name
X Æ A-12 was not without criticism. The California state law specifically prohibits certain 28 symbols in baby names, which include numerals and punctuation. This law may affect the name’s validity in the California court system, with parents questioned on their decision to give the name to their child.
Despite the questioning and debates, the couple are not perturbed by the scrutiny their name has received. Both Elon and Grimes maintain that they stand by their decision and will not let the social wave of opinions wash away their original ideas.
Unique Naming Trend on the Rise
The unique name of X Æ A-12 Musk is surely a standout from the crowd. The trendy concept of giving a baby an out of the box name to stand out in the crowd is on the rise and more commonly seen in today’s western culture.
Names like Apple, Ramona Ray (Ray for short) and even Chardonnay are gaining traction in the ever-changing culture of unique baby names and are on the path to becoming the ‘normal’.
The Debate of Cultural Appropriation
While many have accepted the trend of modern-day unconventional baby names, questions of cultural appropriation have also been raised. Names like Genghis, Sunspot and Kallikak are among some of the most controversial baby names today, as they’re derived from terms that are ethically-questionable.
Cultural appropriation can be seen when cultures adopt symbols and traits of another culture without understanding of their deeper meaning. This, however, is no excuse for the disrespect of a particular culture’s traditions in the name of ‘creativity’ and ‘unconventional baby names’.
Breaking the Traditional Rules
Going beyond the traditional naming practices for newborns, some couples look for offbeat names, meaningful words and phrases, indicators of a special moment in life, folklore, puritanical terms for constructing a name for their baby.
Keeping these in mind and bringing a unique flair to their baby’s name, more and more people are replacing the practical and predetermined methods of naming. For companies and even brands, this constitutes a further step and catapults them into the realm of the avant-garde.
Societal Significance of Unique Names
Names are very often societal identifiers, and bear cultural and/or religious implications. Especially in Asian countries, where opting for a modern name becomes a statement of zealousness, the higher the status of the person, the more unconventional and obscure the name is.
Intended or not, modern-day clashes of traditional versus vanguard are inescapable, with investors and power players attempting to set a mark of distinction through their children’s name. Regardless, with all the fuss surrounding the name of X Æ A-12, one thing is for sure: It’s here to stay.
Impact of Unconventional Names
How the society perceives names such as X Æ A-12 is something only time will tell. With the powerhouses of billionaire investors and tech moguls actively switching up the name game, names like X Æ A-12 will certainly no longer be a shocker amongst the public.
Potential implications and debate on the concept of cultural appropriation will still remain, however, one thing can be ascertained: Unconventional names are certainly on the rise as we evolve as a society.
Reasons Behind Strategies to Stand Out
So, why are parents these days opting to choose unorthodox names for their babies? Ushering in a new age, fathers and mothers are more inclined to give their babies unique names in hopes of making them stand out in the world.
The main drivers for parents naming their children unconventionally is mainly to give them a head start in life. Tasteful and interesting names can potentially spark joy and enthusiasm amongst the public and act as a gate-opener to the otherwise difficult world of networking.
The ultimate goal behind these names is of course to leave an impact on the world, with parents hoping to give their children an edge when seeking to climb through the societal ranks.
Appearance of Unconventional Names in Popular Culture
Far from being just a modern-day trend amongst parents, the uniqueness of these names has now extended to even the entertainment industry. Shows such as Riverdale, Stranger Things and Game of Thrones have had their fair share of well-versed characters with unusual and clever names.
Similarly, Hollywood actors such as Daenarys (Game of Thrones) and Eleven (Stranger Things) became symbolic of their respective series characters, which then spin out of the television screens and into reality.
This tells us that unconventional names such as X Æ A-12 has the potential of making it big and a surprising impact on popular culture.
Where Are We Heading Next?
So, what is the future of offbeat names? Well, one sure thing is that social norms have certainly been shaken up with the rise of these creative names. Symbolic of a time where modern-day ethical dilemmas are rampant, non-conventional and practical naming practices are on the rise. Parents of this era are daring and bold, suiting the times where fresh ideas are needed to stay above the rising competition.
With names like X Æ A-12 and Apple, to some, it serves as a reminder that in 2020, the trends of parenting and naming conventions have potentially achieved a whole new level.
