- This week, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk basically broke the internet (opens in new tab) when he explained how to explain the name he and his partner, singer Grimes, chose for their son: X Æ A-12.
- In an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast (opens in new tab), Musk explained that the X is pronounced like the letter and that Æ is pronounced "Ash."
- Gwyneth Paltrow, who received plenty of scrutiny in 2004 when she and her then-husband Chris Martin named their firstborn daughter Apple, joked that she had finally been dethroned for the "Most Controversial Baby Name" award.
Today, we've come to expect all things weird and wacky when it comes to celebrity baby names (opens in new tab), but back in 2004 that wasn't yet the case. That's why it was such a worldwide story (and, oftentimes, punchline) when Gwyneth Paltrow (opens in new tab) and Chris Martin (opens in new tab) named their daughter Apple (opens in new tab) that year.
Even as other celebrities seemed to vie for the "Buzziest Baby Name" award, Apple Martin (opens in new tab) continued to reign supreme. No other celebrity baby name seemed capable of getting people talking—and arguing—as much as Gwyneth's firstborn.
Until now, that is. This week, the Elon Musk (opens in new tab) and Grimes broke the internet when they announced that they had named their son X Æ A-12. The name was so out there, Musk even had to take a moment to publicly explain how to pronounce it.
"Well, first of all, it was my partner [Grimes] who actually mostly came up with the name. She's brilliant," he explained in an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. "So, it's just X, the letter X, and then the Æ is pronounced Ash."
On Friday, InStyle Magazine (opens in new tab) posted about Musk and Grimes' baby name on Instagram and Gwyneth won the comment section, writing, "#chrismartin I think we got beat for most controversial baby name."
There are not enough applause emojis to express how perfect that comment is. Well done, Gwyneth (opens in new tab).
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