Elon Musk has raised eyebrows with a change to his handle on X (formerly Twitter), adopting the name “Kekius Maximus.” Along with this name change, Musk also updated his profile image to feature Pepe the Frog, a meme that has been associated with various far-right movements. The move has prompted discussions about Musk’s ties to digital currencies and the controversial symbolism tied to the meme.
The Meaning of ‘Kekius Maximus’
The name “Kekius Maximus” appears to be a combination of two cultural references. “Kek” started in World of Warcraft as a translation of “LOL” between game factions and later became an internet meme tied to Pepe the Frog.
“Maximus” is a reference to the character Maximus Decimus Meridius from the movie Gladiator. The name is also linked to a cryptocurrency memecoin, KEKIUS, which saw its value increase by over 800% following Musk’s profile update. In addition to the name change, Musk posted an image of Pepe the Frog dressed in Roman armor, holding a video game controller.
Controversy surrounding Pepe the Frog and ‘kek’
While Pepe the Frog was initially created by artist Matt Furie as a benign character, it has been adopted by various extremist factions, particularly during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. “Kek,” originally used as an internet shorthand for “LOL,” has similarly been appropriated by far-right communities, including those associated with the creation of a fictional nation called “Kekistan.”
These symbols, once seen as harmless internet humor, have increasingly been linked to online trolling, white nationalism, and conspiracy theories. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has highlighted the continued spread of such symbols, noting their association with far-right movements despite efforts to reclaim them.
Musk’s controversial associations
Musk’s use of these symbols prompts questions about his ties to far-right groups. The entrepreneur has previously been linked to politically contentious figures and causes, such as his support for the far-right German political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) and his promotion of conspiracy theories like the “great replacement” theory.