Musk changes his name to Kekius Maximus on X

WASHINGTON: Elon Musk adopted the moniker “Kekius Maximus” on X on Wednesday, sparking speculation among his 210 million followers about his mysterious new handle that is a mash-up of an alt-right symbol, a memecoin, and the lead character of the movie “Gladiator.”

Musk also replaced his profile picture with one of “Pepe the Frog,” a popular cartoon character, wearing ancient Roman attire and holding a video game joystick.

Musk offered no explanation about the new username and avatar, but the move triggered immediate ripple effects.

The change roiled the cryptocurrency world, sending the value of a memecoin -- a digital currency inspired by an internet meme -- with the same name skyrocketing.

It also sent internet sleuths hunting for answers: Was the name change just for the laughs? Was there a hidden message? Was this another thinly-disguised attempt to jolt the crypto markets? More troublingly, was it a wink and a nod to online hate groups?

His new handle appears to be a blend of “Maximus Decimus Meridius” -- a Roman general played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 smash hit “Gladiator” -- and “kek,” an expression popular among the alt-right and internet trolls that is used as a variation of “LOL,” or laugh out loud.

“Kek” is also a reference to a “virtual white nationalist god,” the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center told AFP, adding that Roman male images have been used by white nationalist groups such as Identity Evropa.

Pepe the Frog was originally a cartoon character from the “Boy´s Club” comic series, but during Trump´s first presidential campaign it became associated with the alt-right and white supremacists, with the Anti-Defamation League dubbing it a “hate symbol.”

“The majority of uses of Pepe the Frog have been, and continue to be, non-bigoted,” the ADL wrote on its website.

However, as it proliferated online, the meme was centered on “racist, antisemitic or other bigoted themes,” the ADL added.

“Manipulators can twist anything to give a wink and a nod to a sub-culture of online hate, while claiming ignorance,” the SPLC said.

“The use of the meme and name are indicative of the continued online culture that claims hateful ideas are simply jokes. Hate is not a joke.”