Why "X Man"?

Why "X Man"?

Since receiving our news we have had a few people ask if we are going to give baby a name.  Well of course we are, it's just that we are not going to name him yet.  The main reason for this is that by giving him a name it will personalise him and will make it harder for us to process things.  Also, like any parents-to-be we have a number of names on a short list, and if we name him now then we may get in a position where when he is born we realise that he is not a "Billy Ray" as we had named him but is a "Bobby Joe".  So for now little man will be known as X Man until he is born and Mum and I will then give him his name.

But why "X Man"? 

Most people would probably think that it is a reference to The X-Men, well, in part you are right.  While I admit I am not a huge X-Men fan, I know enough.  The X-Men are mutant superheroes who use their powers for the benefit of humanity.  I don't think of X Man's heart as a "mutation", it is a defect.  However, it is a comparable reference.  His special power is the power to fight! And I believe he will fight, and through his fight I am sure that his fighting spirit will give strength where it is needed to not only us but others facing our same fight.  He is our own little superhero.

I also love the symbolism and mystery associated with the letter X.  For instance, one of my favourite TV shows ever - The X-Files - uses the letter X to refer to FBI cases that were considered outside of the normal.  Also, "X marks the spot" (bringing out my inner pirate).  Did you know that X-Rays are so called because their discoverer did not know what they were? In mathematics "x" is commonly used as the name for an independent variable or unknown variable, or can be used to signify multiplication.

There are many many uses for the letter X making it such a strong and versatile symbol.  Not only can X be viewed positively it also has negative connotations as well, such as marking a question wrong in an exam, or to symbolise a dead characters eyes in a cartoon.

But the simple answer lies in X's use to represent unknowns (eg Person X, Place X etc).  While we have a lot of information already, our journey ahead is still a big unknown for us.