Elon Musk has six children – three sons, twins Griffin and Xavier and triplet Son Kai, and three daughters, triplets X Æ A-12 and twins Zumi and Zade. Each of the children is given an unusual name,which can be overwhelming to pronounce. Here we explain the methods to pronounce Musk’s children’s names correctly, as well as offering detailed insights into the motivation behind the names, and suggest ways to remember them.
The first, and probably most challenging, of all six names is X Æ A-12. Musk explained the name was partially inspired by the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft from the Cold War era, and the letter X is intended to represent the unknown. The name is pronounced as ‘ex-ash-a-12’, and although the symbol ‘Æ’ appears in the name, it does not represent a letter, as is sometimes assumed on social media. Instead, it serves as an abbreviation for ‘ash’ which could be seen as separating the ‘x’ from the ‘a-12’.
Xavier and Griffin are similar to conventional names, each being pronounced as they are spelt. Similarly, Kai is pronounced the same as the widely used name. Zumi, Zade and Zora, the triplets’ twin sisters, share the same beginning letter, which can make remembering all three names easier. Zumi and Zade take a spelling conventional to the pronunciation. Meanwhile, Zora has the pronunciation of ‘Zor-ah’.
Motivation Behind Names
Elon Musk revealed his motivation behind the names – The first four of his children had inspirational meanings, with X Æ A-12 being ‘the unknown craft’, Kai was thought of as a ‘renaissance man’, Xavier ‘bringer of light’, and Griffin ‘strong in faith’. The twins, Zumi and Zade, were named after two of Musk’s friends, and Zora derived from an old English language.
Musk’s destination for stellar children names does not end with his own children. In order to make his daughters easier to remember and pronounce, he has his own way of referring to them. Griffin is ‘Goose’, Xavier is ‘X’, and their newest child, X Æ A-12, is known in the family as just ‘A-12’. In other words, Musk converts the names into something he and his children can easily recall.
Nicknames
Nicknames can be used to easily remember children’s names, as well as to make children feel more connected with them. It is also beneficial for children to have a different name to differentiate themselves from other family members – like their siblings – as evidenced by Musk’s own children. In 2010, for example, Musk gave his son with actress Talulah Riley the name Saxon and a nickname ‘Sax’. In 2018 he opted for the same approach with his daughter Zora, naming her ‘X Æ A-12’, but giving her the nickname ‘A-12’.
The idea of using different names is not a new one, especially in the technology world. A number of tech founders have given their children unique names, such as Apple founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, who named their kids Kali, Lisa and Reed. In addition, researchers suggest that Musks children’s names could serve as an inspiration for other parents, with an emphasis on innovation and creativity.
Symbolism
The symbolic element of Musk’s children’s names is considerable, as evidenced by the symbolic meaning of their names. Sons Griffin and Xavier are both religious names, which symbolizes faith, Griffin is the name of a mythical griffin that is a powerful symbol of strength and intelligence, whereas Xavier is the name of a missionary, representing ‘God’s messenger’ and a ‘bringer of light’. Son Kai derives from the Hawaii origins, meaning ‘ocean’, while triplets X Æ A-12 and twins Zumi and Zade have a symbolic meaning of creativity and innovation.
As a result, the symbolic meaning of Musk’s children’s names is one of power, intelligence, and creativity. This not only reflects the values of Musk that is connected to science, technology, and entrepreneurship but may also be an indicator of Musk’s own view of his children.
Education Impact
The impact that Musk’s children’s names are having on education is considerable. The names, uniqueness and meaning behind them serve as an educational influence for other parents looking for new ways to name their children. The rise of creative and powerful names has seen a greater number of parents looking for alternatives that signify creativity, intelligence, and the possibility for success. In doing so, more education is given to children, with the hope that they will soar in the future.
Furthermore, to become educated beyond their names, Musk is also encouraging his children to pursue education. Recently, Musk announced he would be paying out a ‘large amount’ of money to his children ‘for educational purposes’. He has also tweeted out his belief that ‘kids should always be learning’. By making sure his children receive education, he is equipping his children with the knowledge and skills to break the mould of traditional names.
Effects On Society
The effects of Musk’s children’s names on society are multifaceted. Inspirational values and traits embedded in the names serve as an influence for other individuals, with preference for creative and powerful names mirroring the scope of Musk’s own values. This has provided a shift from traditional and more conservative names to more creative and modern variations. Additionally, more parents are becoming more avid to research more detailedly before naming their children, resulting from the thought process embedded into naming your child.
On the other hand, the effects of Musk’s children’s names on society could be seen as controversial. Some individuals may disapprove of the creative, powerful, and symbolic names theoretically coming at the cost of traditional and conventional names. However, Musk’s example displays a shift towards modern, innovative, and powerful names being the norm, rather than the exception.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Elon Musk’s children’s names are a reflection of himself. He has named them with intricate, powerful and symbolic names and clearly put a lot of thought into their formation and spelling, as well as educating them on their relevance and meaning. They act as an example of modern parenting techniques and demonstrate the impact of symbols on societies and the understanding of new ideas, as well as introducing new educational norms.
