How to Really Pronounce X Æ A-12, Plus What Elon Musk and Grimes’ Son Name Means
Indie artist Grimes and investor/entrepreneur Elon Musk are definitely an unlikely couple. When the two first started dating, many believed that the relationship wouldn’t last a month, let alone several years.
Still, they have defied the odds and managed to remain together in spite of the haters. Recently, Grimes gave birth to the couple’s infant son.
There’s no doubt that Grimes and Musk are an unusual couple, and the name that they chose for their son reflects their unique perspective on life.
When did Grimes and Elon Musk start dating?
Musk has been tied to some big names in entertainment, including Amber Heard. When he began dating the much-younger indie artist known as Grimes in early 2018, it seemed like a big departure for the controversial entrepreneur.
Still, Grimes and Musk seemed to have much in common, and enjoy sending tweets to each other on social media, much to the delight of fans.
In July 2018, Musk and Grimes briefly unfollowed each other on Twitter, only to refollow each other in August. Over the next several months, Grimes and Musk were spotted out and about on a number of occasions. Musk even attended the December 2019 Game Awards and seemed to really appreciate Grimes’ performance at the event.
In January 2020, Grimes confirmed that she was expecting a baby. The child is Musk’s sixth, as he shares five children with his ex, Justine Wilson.
Elon Musk and Grimes just welcomed a son
Grimes gradually became more open about her pregnancy as the months went on, sharing bump pictures and talking about her strange cravings, including heavily buttered toast and caffeine cubes. Finally, in early May of this year, Grimes gave birth to her and Musk’s son.
While the advent of the baby was a joyous experience, the artist and her boyfriend quickly confused fans when they revealed the newborn’s name.
Grimes and Musk confirmed that they named their son X Æ A-12. Shortly after the big reveal, Grimes took to Twitter to break down the name and what it means.
She explained: “X, the unknown variable. Æ, my elven spelling of Ai (love &/or Artificial intelligence), A-12 = precursor to SR-17 (our favorite aircraft). No weapons, no defenses, just speed. Great in battle, but non-violent.”
The “A” in the baby’s name represents Grimes’ favorite song, “Archangel,” while the number 12 stands for the Chinese zodiac sign of the rat.
Grimes clarified how to pronounce her son’s name
Even after the detailed explanation that Grimes gave as to the meaning and structure behind her son’s name, many people were still confused as to how exactly to pronounce such a complicated moniker. Grimes tried to shed some light by taking to social media once again, a few days after the baby was born.
In response to a question about how to properly pronounce the infant’s name, Grimes stated: “it’s just X, like the letter X. Then A.I. Like how you said the letter A then I.”
Musk, in a conversation with Joe Rogan, revealed how he pronounces the name: “It’s just X, the letter X. And then the Æ is, like, pronounced ‘ash.'” Musk also stated that Grimes was the one who chose the name for their son, admitting that his artist girlfriend is “great at names.”
While most children would have a difficult time growing into a name like that, any child of Musk is bound for a life that is truly extraordinary and is unlikely to face a lot of criticism.
