Elon Musk is calling himself 'Harry Bōlz' on X. The name change has created buzz in the crypto world

Tech billionaire Elon Musk changed his X account name to Harry Bōlz on Tuesday and this is the second time he has adopted this alias. The billionaire had briefly switched to the same handle name back in April 2023. His latest antic comes hours after a Musk-led consortium of investors reportedly bid to take control of OpenAI.

Elon Musk, 53, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is currently making cuts across multiple federal agencies in an effort to reduce government spending.

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Elon Musk changes to 'Harry Bolz' again on X

In 2023, he had briefly changed his username to Harry Bolz, a slang term for "hairy balls". At the time, Musk had joked about it on social media, saying, "Tbh, I’m just hoping a media org that takes itself way too seriously writes a story about Harry Bōlz."

The reason behind Musk's latest name change remains unclear, Musk had previously explained the joke in a tweet back in 2023. Musk, known for unpredictable and often humorous online behaviour, has altered his name multiple times, two notable instances stand out—his brief use of “Harry Bōlz” in April 2023 and “Kekius Maximus” in December 2024.

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The term "Harry Bolz" not only created a stir on social media but also had an immediate and dramatic impact on the cryptocurrency market. Hours after Musk changed his profile name on X, a little-known cryptocurrency sharing the same name experienced a significant surge in value.

In December 2023, he changed his name to "Kekius Maximus", a mix of the popular gaming term "kek" and "Maximus," referencing Russell Crowe's character in Gladiator. His profile picture at the time featured Pepe the Frog dressed as a gladiator, fueling discussions about his references to internet subcultures.

Musk's display name change impacts crypto market

After the Tesla CEO changed his display name, the cryptocurrency named “Harry Bolz” experienced an immediate and dramatic price surge. Crypto traders bought the token, similar to past incidents with meme coins like Dogecoin. Market analysts are monitoring the situation. Musk has not commented on whether the name change was intended to affect the market.

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The timing of the name change coincides with reports of a Musk-led group possibly bidding to control OpenAI. This has led to speculation about a connection between the name change and broader strategies. There are no official statements confirming a link, but the events have increased scrutiny of Musk's involvement in technology, AI, and digital currencies.

Musk has a history of unconventional social media use. His online actions often include humor and references to internet culture. A past example includes the alias "Kekius Maximus" in December 2024, which also led to speculation.

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Musk's tendency to change his display name on X aligns with his broader online persona. He has often embraced internet culture, meme humour, and trolling, using X as a platform to engage with his followers in an informal and often unpredictable manner. His name changes appear to serve multiple purposes: Humour and Entertainment.

Many of Musk's social media antics, including his name changes, seem intended to amuse both himself and his audience. He frequently taps into online trends and memes, demonstrating his awareness of internet subcultures. By generating discussions around his name changes, Musk keeps attention on his X profile and maintains engagement with his audience.