Elon Musk and Claire Grimes get a lot of flack for naming their new baby X Æ A-12. There’s a lot of things Elon does that I find questionable and even appalling. His baby’s name is not one of them.
I learned long ago that no matter what name the parents’ choose, just smile and say something along the lines of ‘how wonderful.’ Because you know what? No matter what objection you might have to a name, no matter what image it might conjure up initially, soon the name will be synonymous with the beautiful baby that everyone loves.
Wrestler #2 is a my personal example. When we announced his name, MIL pulled a prune-face. “I’m calling him the baby for as long as I can,” she proclaimed. Dad never did quite learn to say it without a lisp, and for the longest time, no one could spell it. (What? It rhymes with Beth. How hard can it be?) Now Wrestler #2’s name is quite familiar. Dare I say, common? You probably hear or see it every day. Plus, it’s the only name that fits Wrestler #2.
It turns out that Mom had the same reaction when she announced my name. And, so did CeCe with her first-born. When Wrestler #1 named Miss S, all I could picture was my favorite grandmother. Okay but, she’s so old. Now the name is defined by Miss S, and she is the best that name could ever be.
Elon said his son’s name is pronounced “X Ash A 12.” The X is just “X” and the A-12 is just “A 12.”
Claire broke down each section of X Æ A-12.
‘X’ refers to ‘the unknown variable.’ ‘Æ’ is ‘my elven spelling of Ai (love &/or Artificial intelligence)’. Finally, ‘A-12’ is a nod to the ‘precursor to SR-17 (our favourite aircraft). No weapons, no defenses, just speed.
Claire Grimes on Twitter (@Grimezsz)
I’m sure he’ll mainly be called Ash or maybe just X. Except when Mom’s downstairs, and she hears the cat yowling down the clothes chute. Then it will be, “XASHhhh-Aaaa-Ta-WELVE! What are you doing?”
Which brings up my piece of advice about naming kids: Always try yelling the name. Certain names are the better for yelling. Come to think of it, maybe that’s why the name Stella is so popular now. STeLLLL-LAAA.
