Rapper DMX is officially the father of 15 children after his longtime partner Desiree Lindstrom gave birth to a son last Friday. While this obviously isn’t the 45-year-old rapper’s first foray into fatherhood, this will be the first child the pair has together, and the name they chose for their son is one that will immediately sound familiar to lots of people: Exodus Simmons.
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The little guy was born in New York City yesterday, and there’s little doubt that his name is rooted in DMX’s faith. The former Ruff Ryder, whose real name is Earl Simmons, is Christian — he’s unabashedly spoken about his conversion during some of his darker days in prison — and the name Exodus, which is also the name of the Bible’s second book, is packed with meaning.
In Exodus, Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt to the biblical promised land in a story that is often considered to be a “from darkness into light” tale. A common and important theme in the Book of Exodus’ theology is that of salvation. Parents often choose names for their children that reflect hope for the future, and with this year beginning on a down note — X had a health scare in February — perhaps the couple chose a name that celebrates their faith as well as a promising future.
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Exodus definitely isn’t the first time one of Simmon’s children has gotten a name that’s dressed in its Sunday best. He’ll join his sister Praise Mary Ella in that regard. Western baby names in general have often skewed toward the biblical: longtime favorites Noah, Jacob, Leah and Rachel all make appearances in the Old Testament. But there are some new biblical names on the scene that are enough to make even the most unique baby-namer happy.
Consider the rise of names like Genesis, Zion and Eden, all of which are pulled not from biblical figures but from biblical places or book names. They’re increasingly popular with parents who would like to celebrate their faith but don’t necessarily love the more traditional monikers.
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Exodus, for instance, is pretty new on the charts, showing up only a decade ago. It’s not super popular yet, at spot 3,512, but who knows? We might just see the name ascend farther now that Simmons and Lindstrom have chosen it for their little angel.
Congratulations to the family, and welcome to the world, Exodus!
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