Elon Musk explains the unusual names of his twin children after viral post

Elon Musk has offered a rare glimpse into the personal meaning behind the names of his twin children after a photograph of him with the twins gained traction on social media platform X. The image, shared by the account Tesla Owners Silicon Valley, prompted Musk to directly respond and clarify the inspirations behind the names, sparking widespread online discussion.

Elon Musk “Bringing a child into the world is a statement of optimism. We need to restore hope and excitement for the future—I believe it will surpass the past.” pic.twitter.com/yU0hcYeK78

— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) January 7, 2026

In the comment section of the post, Musk identified the children and explained how their names were chosen. He said his son is named Strider Sekhar, drawing inspiration from Aragorn, introduced as “Strider” in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and from renowned Indian-American physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Musk added that his daughter’s name, Comet Azure, was inspired by what he described as the most powerful spell in the fantasy video game Elden Ring.

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The twins were born in November 2021 to Musk and Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis. Until now, they had largely been referred to publicly by shortened versions of their names, Strider and Azure. Musk’s comment marked the first time he detailed the full names and their cultural and scientific references.

Chandrasekhar, after whom Sekhar is named, was a Nobel Prize–winning astrophysicist whose work transformed understanding of stellar evolution. Musk’s reference to him resonated with users who noted Zilis’s Indian heritage through her mother, Sharda Zilis, who is of Punjabi origin.

The twins are part of Musk’s growing family, which includes at least 14 children with multiple partners. With Zilis, Musk also shares two younger children, Arcadia, born in 2024, and Seldon Lycurgus, born in March 2025. That name, too, references science fiction author Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series as well as the ancient Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus.

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Musk has previously attracted attention for unconventional baby names, including X Æ A-Xii, Exa Dark Sideræl and Techno Mechanicus, children he shares with musician Grimes. His naming choices often blend elements of science, mythology, fiction and technology.

The renewed attention on Musk’s personal life comes amid scrutiny of xAI’s chatbot Grok, which has faced criticism in several regions, including India, Europe and Malaysia, over the generation of explicit content. Indian authorities recently asked X to remove what they described as unlawful and obscene material linked to the chatbot.

A report by non-profit group AI Forensics reviewed tens of thousands of images generated by Grok and raised concerns over content that appeared to depict young individuals. In response, the platform reiterated Musk’s earlier position that users generating illegal content would face consequences similar to those imposed for uploading such material.