NEW DELHI — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has revealed the inspiration behind the distinctive names of his children, highlighting a blend of literature, science and Indian heritage.
In a recent post on his social media platform X, Musk explained that his son’s name, Strider Sekhar, draws from two influential figures. The first name, Strider, is inspired by Aragorn, a central character from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, who is first introduced under that alias. The second name, Sekhar, honours renowned Indian-American astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, winner of the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on stellar evolution.
Musk also shared the origin of his daughter’s name, Comet Azure, saying it was inspired by what he described as the most powerful spell in the popular video game Elden Ring.
Posting alongside a photo with the twins, Musk wrote: “Me with my son, Strider Sekhar (named after Aragorn & great Indian physicist Chandrasekhar) and daughter, Comet Azure, named after the most powerful spell in Elden Ring.”
Strider Sekhar and Comet Azure were born in November 2021 to Musk and Shivon Zilis, an executive at Neuralink. The couple also share two younger children: Arcadia, born in 2024, and Seldon Lycurgus, born in March 2025.
Zilis herself has Indian roots through her mother, Sharda Zilis, adding a personal cultural connection to the choice of the name Sekhar.
The revelation has drawn widespread attention online, with many noting Musk’s nod to Indian scientific excellence alongside his well-known admiration for science fiction, gaming and epic literature.