Lil Nas X Explains How He Got His Birth & Stage Names

Lil Nas X is explaining the meaning behind his names!

The 21-year-old “Old Town Road” rapper made a virtual appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Friday (January 8) to promote his new children’s book C is for Country.

During his interview, Lil Nas X explained how his mom came up with his birth name, which is Montero.

“It’s slightly embarrassing, but I’m not embarrassed,” Lil Nas X shared. “My mom wanted the car, the [Mitsubishi] Montero, and she never got one… So yeah, I’m named after a car.”

“She was like, ‘I’ll settle for less,’” he jokingly added.

Lil Nas X also went on to share why he decided not to use his real name as his stage name.

“Nas was like my internet alias and then when I started doing music, I was like, ‘I want to have fun with this,’” Lil Nas X explained. “And every new rapper’s named Lil, Lil, Lil. ‘What if I was Lil Nas? Ha ha ha. That’d be funny.’”

He continued, “So I was like, ‘Alright, bet. I’ll be Lil Nas.’ And I added the X later on.”

If you didn’t know, Lil Nas X used to run a fan account for this entertainer!