The relationship between Grimes and Elon Musk has generated many strange headlines but perhaps none more so than that of their choice in baby names. The odd couple has had an on-again, off-again relationship since 2018. When they made their public debut as a couple, many Grimes fans were left feeling confused. How could an extremely left-leaning alternative artist be in a relationship with the richest man in the world, who so often expresses conservative views and is perhaps the biggest troll on the internet? That part remains a mystery, as the couple has kept much of their relationship fairly private. What the public has been privy to, however, has been extremely strange.
In January 2020, Grimes announced her pregnancy via Instagram. Then, in March of that year, she gave birth to a baby boy named X Æ A-12. Considering this was perhaps the weirdest celebrity baby name to date, it was no surprise that the internet had an absolute field day with it. Grimes took to Twitter to clarify her son’s name and what it meant to her. Unfortunately, it only made the name seem even more strange. “X, the unknown variable,” she, tweeted. “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 + (A = Archangel, my favorite song).”
A Simpler Name, But No Less Strange
Despite their breakup in 2021, Grimes and Elon Musk welcomed a baby girl via surrogate less than a year later. Once again, the couple chose perhaps the strangest name they could think of, announcing that their daughter’s name was Exa Dark Sideræl. Once again, the name was the subject of many jokes on Twitter and other social media outlets. Still, Grimes seemed undeterred. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she explained the meaning of the name, which made just about as much sense as the name of their first child. That is to say, none at all.
However, it now seems that Grimes has confirmed that she and Musk have officially changed their daughter’s name to Y. This was previously something she touted as simply being a nickname. However, she has now tweeted that her daughter was “Y now”, even suggesting that they attempted to legally change the baby girl’s name to a question mark but weren’t able to. It’s difficult to imagine that there was a time when celebrity baby names like Apple seemed outlandish. One can only imagine what name Grimes and Musk will dream up if they have a third child. What’s your favorite (or least favorite) weird celebrity baby name? Let us know in the comments.