UPDATE: In the comments section of a recent Instagram post, Grimes responded to a fan asking how to say her baby's name X Æ A-12, and the singer's pronunciation is slightly different from Musk's. "It's just X, like the letter X," she began. "Then A.I. Like how you said the letter A then I."
At just three days old, X Æ A-12 Musk is already a controversial figure. His mother, Grimes, had to post a full-on explainer on where his name came from and today, his dad, Elon Musk, had to tell the entire world exactly how to pronounce it. During an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Musk didn't just lay out exactly how it's pronounced, he also revealed that he wasn't the person who came up with the one-of-a-kind name.
"Well, first of all, it was my partner [Grimes] who actually mostly came up with the name," Musk said after Rogan asked whether or not the name was a "placeholder" (it's not, though the state of California may take issue with that). "She's brilliant."
Musk went on to lay out how to say it: "So, it's just X, the letter X, and then the Æ is pronounced Ash." He said that he suggested adding A-12 as an homage to the Archangel 12, what he said is the "precursor to SR-71, the coolest plane ever." The verdict: X Ash Archangel Twelve.
Though the couple hasn't confirmed that X Æ A-12 was born in California, many people are presuming that's where Grimes gave birth. If that's the case, they'll have to re-submit the baby's name for an official birth certificate and Social Security number, according to the California Department of Public Health's office of vital records.
Grimes's explanation of the name seemed to clear things up for anyone familiar with her brand of quirk.
"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," she tweeted.
Musk corrected her, adding, "SR-71, but yes."
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