What does the X mean in Malcom X?

[Peach]

can somebody enlighten me?

[Nametag]

Malcolm Little, when he joined the Nation of Islam, changed his name to Malcolm X to to reject his “slave name,” and to signify that his real family name was lost when his ancestors were kidnapped from Africa. I don’t know how many others did the same thing.

[Larry_Mudd]

In retrospect, it seems like bad mojo, what with the association “X” has with a certain fellow from another branch of the Abrahamic tradition.

[JeffB]

To follow up on Nametag’s post, Malcolm eventually changed his name to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz after his pilgrimage to Mecca.

[Colibri]

This is a tenet of the National of Islam, aka “Black Muslims.”

Throughout this time Elijah Muhammad’s teachings were spread by his followers, everywhere from the streets to the prisons. They eventually reached a prisoner called Malcolm Little. Upon his acceptance of the teachings, as he left prison he joined the Nation of Islam and became commonly known as Malcolm X. This ‘X’ represents what is called in mathematics an unknown variable. The followers accept this ‘X’, or in other cases an ‘I’, as a sign that they are rejecting all that this world has done to them including the family name given to their ancestors by slave owners. They eventually replace this ‘X’ with an Arabic name more descriptive of their personality and character.

These names sometimes included numbers as well, depending on how many previous members of the Black Muslims with the same first name there had been; e.g. there could be a John 23X, or a Louis 5X, etc. For example, one of Malcolm X’s aides was named Leon 4X Ameer.

[Colophon]

For example, one of Malcolm X’s aides was named Leon 4X Ameer.

…who eventually forsook the Nation of Islam and emigrated to Australia, where he set up a successful brewery.

[Achilles]

Well technically “Malcolm” isn’t an african name either, so really he should have called himself “X X”.

How mysterious and cool would that be ?

[Colibri]

@Achilles

Well technically “Malcolm” isn’t an african name either, so really he should have called himself “X X”.

How mysterious and cool would that be ?

I know you’re joking, but the objection to the surname was basically that it was usually the same as that of the slave owner who originally owned the family. Slaves basically only had first names, but if necessary would also be identified by the name of their owner. Therefore it was especially inappropriate to retain the name of a specific oppressor. Given names, on the other hand, were bestowed by the person’s parents and didn’t have the same kind of onus.

[Johnny_L.A]

What does the X mean in Malcom X?

“The Tenth.”

[RealityChuck]

@Achilles

Well technically “Malcolm” isn’t an african name either, so really he should have called himself “X X”.

How mysterious and cool would that be ?

Don’t forget – he had a middle name, too. That would have made him “XXX” and the film of his life story would have been changed to a cheesy action movie.

[aahala]

There was a news item(really!) a couple days ago where a computer nerd family just had a son.

Instead of “Jr.”, they named him “2.0”.

[The_Griffin]

@aahala

There was a news item(really!) a couple days ago where a computer nerd family just had a son.

Instead of “Jr.”, they named him “2.0”.

Were they planning updates?

[aahala]

@The Griffin

Were they planning updates?

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Midwest/02/01/offbeat.baby.version2.0.ap/

I hadn’t noticed till just now mention of the email announcement that said 2.0 had additional features over Jon Cusack 1.0, taken from the mother.