Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has stirred intrigue by changing his name on his social media platform X to “Kekius Maximus.”
The tech mogul and close associate of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump offered no explanation for the change or for his new profile picture, which features Pepe the Frog dressed as a Roman soldier holding a game console. Pepe, originally a harmless internet meme, has been co-opted by far-right groups, adding to the controversy surrounding Musk’s move.
The name “Kekius” seems to be a Latinised form of “kek,” a term popularised in gaming culture as an equivalent of “laugh out loud.”
The term has also been associated with the alt-right. In mythology, “Kek” is the ancient Egyptian god of darkness, often depicted with the head of a frog.
“Maximus” could be seen as a nod to the character Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Russell Crowe in the film Gladiator.
The change has had an immediate ripple effect in the cryptocurrency market, causing a surge in the value of a meme-inspired cryptocurrency sharing the name “Kek.” Musk’s past social media activity has been known to influence crypto prices, but it remains unclear if he has any direct connection to this particular memecoin.
Musk’s actions have sparked debate online, with some interpreting it as another instance of his playful online persona, while others question the broader implications given the associations of the Pepe meme.
