Elon Musk, the maverick entrepreneur and innovator, has a peculiar penchant for the letter ‘X.’ From X.com to SpaceX, Tesla’s Model X, and even his son X Æ A-12, Musk seems to have a unique attachment to this particular letter. But what’s the story behind this linguistic obsession, and where did it all begin?
Musk’s first foray into business, X.com, started as an online banking and financial services platform in 1999. Eventually merging with Confinity, it transformed into PayPal, a company that Musk, as its largest shareholder, used to kickstart his next venture – SpaceX.
The naming of X.com wasn’t a straightforward decision. According to Julie Anderson Ankenbrandt, a former PayPal executive, the name emerged during a casual meeting at the Blue Chalk in Palo Alto. Musk and his co-founders debated between Q, X, or Z dot com. The waitress, serving the next round of drinks, cast her vote for X.com, leading Musk to exclaim, ‘That’s it!’ Despite concerns about potential sexual innuendos, Musk stuck to his choice.
Also Read: Elon Musk’s SpaceX Set to Launch 144 Rockets in Unprecedented Endeavor
His affinity for ‘X’ goes beyond business ventures. The Tesla Model X, a luxury SUV with distinctive falcon wing doors, was named strategically. Musk aimed to spell out “S3XY” when combined with three other models, offering a glimpse into his quirky sense of humor.
Even Musk’s son, named X Æ A-12, raises eyebrows. Grimes, the boy’s mother, explained in a tweet that the ‘X’ symbolizes an unknown variable in algebra, suggesting the child’s freedom to choose their own path.
Despite the uniqueness of Musk’s ‘X’ obsession, not everyone was thrilled with the choices. Biographer Ashlee Vance revealed that many tried to dissuade Musk from naming his companies with ‘X’ due to potential innuendos, but Musk stood his ground.
In 2017, Musk bought back the X.com domain from PayPal, emphasizing its sentimental value. The domain now redirects to a social network bearing its original name.
While some see Musk’s ‘X’ fixation as a quirky trademark, others, like Stella Bugbee of The New York Times, suggest it might reflect Musk’s age, placing him squarely in the realm of Generation X. Regardless, the ‘X’ factor remains a distinctive feature of Elon Musk’s ventures, leaving us to wonder where this fascination will lead next.
