History Main / XMakesAnythingCool

** Sinclair ZX81 and it's more successful cousin, the UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum.

** He's also named his children X Æ A-12 and Exa Dark Sideræl.

** AmigaOne X series.

** The upcoming Commander X16.

** Sharp X68000 and its predecessor X1.

* ''Western Animation / Futurama'' has the TropeNamer in its episode ''Recap/FuturamaS2E16AnthologyOfInterestI'', who also manages to doble as the Trope Namer for BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord. See the citation above both pages.

* Website/{{Twitter}} was rebranded as "X" in 2023 following Elon Musk's acquisition.

* JAXA: the Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency. Sounds a lot better than JAEA, doesn't it? And it doesn't hurt that it rhymes with NASA.

X. There'x alwayx xomething about the letter X that juxt makex x-actly anything cool (including thix artixle). A lot of people use it gratuitouxly on a name, product, model, etx. juxt xo it has xome xort of edge to it, including xere. Want xome pizzazz? Add an X somewhere in txe name. It doexn't matter where, as long as there'x an X. And it hax to be a capital X. Lowercase x is juxt too puny to be xool. [[AccidentalInnuendo Juxt don't add 3.]]

* ''Manga/{{X 1999}}'', an anime made by Creator/{{CLAMP}}. Then they went overboard and came up with ''Manga/XxxHolic''... (The xxx is silent, it denotes a variable in Japanese. The English pronounciation would be ___holic.)

** Moira [=Mac=]Taggert's prisoner, the mysterious Mutant X, who turned out to be [[spoiler:her son, AKA Proteus]]. The name was dusted off in the '90s for the comic book starring Havok trapped in a ParallelUniverse, and [[Series/MutantX an unrelated TV series]] Marvel had ''some'' hand in (''Series/{{Alphas}}'' is sort of a SpiritualSuccessor).

* In ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'', the TransformationSequence includes three [=Xs=] (and a V) because ''Gokaiger'' is the 35th ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' series.

** Kamen Riders [[Series/KamenRiderX X]], [[Film/KamenRiderZX ZX]][[labelnote:*]]pronounced "Zee-Cross"[[/labelnote]], and [[Series/KamenRiderBlackRX Black RX]].
** The Heisei Era gave us [[Series/KamenRider555 Kaixa]], whose motif is the Greek letter Kai (looks like an X, and his suit is covered with them), and ''Series/KamenRiderExAid''. Besides just his name, he gets his powers from a FictionalVideoGame series whose titles usually have an X or two on the end.

* ''Series/UltramanX'' puts the X on whatever it can find. Heck, the Xio team HomeBase is a giant building shaped like an X!

* The UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} line of game consoles is the highest profile example in all of video gaming. Its ancestor, the 8-bit UsefulNotes/MSX computer line, invoked this trope all the way back in the 1980s. Apparently the single X lost its luster, though, so they [[SequelEscalation added another one]] for the 2017 edition, the UsefulNotes/XboxOneX.

* Rapper and sometimes Riddick-antagonist Xzibit.

Subtrope of XtremeKoolLetterz. For tropes that make use of this and when a work sequel adds the ''X'' after the original title, see LetteredSequel. See also FourX, LetXBeTheUnknown. Other tropes with the letter X include XMarksTheSpot and XMarksTheHero. Not to be confused with [[SugarWiki/AndTheFandomRejoiced [A Metasyntactic Variable As Portrayed In This Case By X] Makes Anything Cool]].

* The Samsung Galaxy XCover series of Android smartphones.

** Partly from superstition about the number 13, and partly so they could have cool letter in its name, the thirteenth version of Wordperfect Office is called X3. (And who is this WP Office owned by? Do we see a pattern here?)

* WesternAnimation/{{The Powerpuff Girls|1996}} were brought to life ''and'' given their ultra-super powers via Chemical X. In one episode Mojo Jojo removes their powers using Antidote X.

-->-- ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', "Anthology of Interest I"

* A certain ''very'' NSFW site URL begins with ex- (no triple x though) and directly cites the above Futurama quote. [[SchmuckBait It's hit #45389 from 82600 if you ''have'' to Google.]]

* Present in three of the ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' sequels (and [[CapcomSequelStagnation their corresponding revisions]]): ''VideoGame/GuiltyGearX'', ''[[VideoGame/GuiltyGearXX XX]]'', and ''Xrd'' (pronounced "Zex", "Igzex" and "Igzird", respectively).

* The PSX...err, ''[=PS1=]'' games ''1Xtreme'' (originally titled ''ESPN Extreme Games''), ''2Xtreme'', and ''3Xtreme''. Supposedly they are a combination of racing and eXtreme sports, as in rollerblades and skateboards.

** Some of the ''MAX'' series of songs like to throw in an extra X: "MaxX Unlimited", "Fascination MAXX", and the supposed dummied song "MAX to the XXXimum".

* The UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} line of game consoles is the highest profile example in all of video gaming. Its ancestor, the 8-bit MSX computer line, invoked this trope all the way back in the 1980s. Apparently the single X lost its luster, though, so they [[SequelEscalation added another one]] for the 2017 edition, the "Xbox One X."
* ''VideoGame/MegaManX''. This may have caused confusion, as the American release used Roman Numerals to denote the title while Japan used Arabic numbers. So to Japan, ''Mega Man X'' was just a name. To Americans, they might have thought this was the tenth Mega Man game (though this was {{Jossed}} long before the release of ''VideoGame/MegaMan10'').
** ''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd'' mentioned it in his name confusion video.
** Even ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'' [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/02/24/ got it mixed up]].
** A later series goes even further: ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'', it's very convenient that the characters Zero and X already have the naming conventions to set up the kool title.
** It helps that the titular Mega Man in this series is actually named 'X' by Dr. Light, and, being a SuperPrototype bot, the name was likely applied to signify his status as such.
* ''X-Blades'', for no real reason.
** Originally called ''Oniblade'', which would make this a case of [[{{Animesque}} Anime Makes Anything Cool.]]
* ''VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution'' recently joined in the group of games with an X: ''Dance Dance Revolution X''. Although there is some meaning to it as it was released during the game's tenth anniversary.
** Some of the MAX series of songs like to throw in an extra X: MaxX Unlimited, Fascination MAXX, and the supposed dummied song MAX to the XXXimum.

* ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Super Smash Bros Brawl]]'' is titled ''Dairantou! Smash Bros X'' in Japan. ''Melee'' was also ''DX'', short for [=DeluXe=].
* Thanks to [[{{Bowdlerise}} censorship]] in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI'' on the NES, Kill was named XXXX. There's also the Warp/Banish spell, occasionally known as X-Zone as in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''.
** On the subject of the Final Fantasy series, ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2 Final Fantasy X-2 ]]'' probably counts as an aversion, as the X still stands for "ten", the game that ''X-2'' is a direct sequel to. Yes, this means there are two layers of numbering on this game; what's your point?
* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear X'', ''XX'' and ''Xrd'' (apparently pronounced "Zex", "Igzex" and "Igzurd", respectively.)
* ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' has the X-Nauts.
** And the X-Yux (supposedly pronounced "cross-yux"). Or just the Yux in general.
* ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness'' falls under the "''ex''-prefix" exception, as XD stands for "eXtra Darkness". ''[[VideoGame/PokemonXAndY Pokémon X Version]]'' is a straighter example, although its counterpart being ''Pokémon Y Version'' means it depends on whether real-world X/Y pairings are a case of this trope.
* In ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'', the main antagonistic threat are alien parasites called the X Parasites, with the ability to KillAndReplace their prey. The X were so dangerous, the Chozo had to bioengineer their own predators, the eponymous Metroids, just to keep the population down, which would in turn lead to everything else in the series when villainous groups decided to use the Metroids as weapons.
* FourX strategy games. They should actually be Four E strategy games, but ''X'' is cooler.
* The ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' series ''loves'' this, overlapping with LetXBeTheUnknown:
** Every member of Organization XIII has an X in their names in a form of ThemeNaming -- their names are anagrams of their original names, plus an X. Some of these work fairly well like Dilan becoming Xaldin, but some like Axel just seemed to raise questions and eyebrows. [[spoiler:Even when his real name was revealed to be the slightly feminine looking Lea (pronounced Lee to mitigate that) in 358/2 Days.]] The exception is Xemnas, who stole the name Ansem before his transformation. His original self was named Xehanort, which, if the X is removed, can make "no heart" and "another" - or [[spoiler:"no earth", given he steals the body of a guy named Terra.]]
** There's also the χ-blade from ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep''. It's spelled like the actual Greek letter "chi", which makes it a MultipleReferencePun and is the reason for the Organization's naming practices mentioned above. And its wielder can fire a SwordBeam, of course in the shape of an X.
** Sora's new outfit in ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance Dream Drop Distance]]'' features a silver X on his chest. It even carries over to his TronLines in [[Film/TronLegacy The Grid]]. [[spoiler:The same game also reveals that the X is formally known as the "Recusant's Sigil" - a mark that gives Xehanort the ability to seek down anyone marked with it. This is the reasoning for the ThemeNaming above; this being why Naminé, being exempt, is able to hide from them during ''358/2 Days'' and ''II''.]]
* The Japan-only UsefulNotes/GameBoy game ''X'' and its [=DSiWare=] sequel [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lfPZ75XcpQ X-Scape]]

* In ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'', the character KOS-MOS (she's a robot... imagine that) has a development code of KP-X.
* The Japanese version of ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterII Super Street Fighter II Turbo]]'' is called ''Super Street Fighter II X'' (likely changed due to the fact that the letter X could be confused with the roman numeral for ten). This is the reason why the letter "X" appears when a Super Combo is used in the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance version, as well as why the "Super Turbo"-like fighting style in ''Street Fighter Alpha 3'' is called "X-ism".
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer: The First Decade'' has an X superimposed in the box art. Of course, it makes sense, but you know....
* Early 90s arcade shooter ''Xexex'', which also has the benefit of being a palindrome.
* The final boss music from ''VideoGame/TouhouHisoutensokuChoudokyuuGinyoruNoNazoOOe'' is Unknown X, Unfound Adventure.
* When [[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Phoenix Wright]] gets a cold, his favorite brand of cold medicine is called Cold Killer X. Note, this only applies to the localization. In the original Japanese version, it was called Cold Killer ''Z''.

* The early online adapter for the Genesis and the SNES, the UsefulNotes/{{XBAND}}.
* In the mid-90s, a reader of ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' who noticed this phenomenon wrote a letter to the editors asking what the deal was. EGM responded with a sarcastic, dismissive remark, because at the time, EGM responded to ''every'' letter with a sarcastic, dismissive remark.
* Before its release, the code name of the first UsefulNotes/PlayStation was PS-X, short for [=PlayStation=]-eXperimental. Later, Sony released a digital video recorder with integrated Playstation and UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 hardware, called PSX.
* The PSX...err, ''[=PS1=]'' games ''1Xtreme'' (originally titled ''ESPN Extreme Games''), ''2Xtreme'', and ''3Xtreme''. Supposedly they are a combination of racing and eXtreme sports, as in rollerblades and skateboards.
* The Turbografix-16 and its successor PC-FX.
* [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV Playboy X]]
* ''VideoGame/XCom''. It stands for "eXtraterrestial [=COMbat=] unit". And sounds extremely cool.
* Egosoft's [[VideoGame/{{X}} X-Universe]], an entire series which gets its name from the player's ship in ''X: Beyond the Frontier'': The Xperimental Shuttle.
* The tenth ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' game is called "''VideoGame/MortalKombatX''" (which is "ex" as in "next"...[[DoubleMeaningTitle but also "10"]]).
* The sequel to ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'' is entitled ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX''. No explanation has yet been given for the X in the title, though until recently the codename for the game was just "X" before it was revealed to be a ''Xenoblade'' sequel.
* ''Klaxxon'', so cool they x-ed it twice. (If not it wouldn't have been an example. In this case, the X is somewhat justified - can you imagine the game being titled "Horn" or "Siren"? - because you get extra points for making a big X in gameplay.)
* Some skills in the ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' series have X-shaped [[AreaOfEffect areas of effect]].
* In ''[[{{VideoGame/MUGEN}} MUGEN]]'', there is a modified, much more powerful and [[NintendoHard harder to beat]] version of [[ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} Popeye The Sailor]] double-modified by [=ArthurDM=] and then DDR named [[https://mugenarchive.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=38599-popeye-x-ddr Popeye X]]. The X was added to his name for no reason, aside from making the everyone's favourite already cool spinach-eating sailor sound even cooler. X-ellent x'cuse!
* The X-Strike CombinationAttack in ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' and its successor, ''VideoGame/ChronoCross''. The two participants each perform a DashAttack against a single target, resulting in an X-shaped pattern. In Trigger, it's performed by Crono and Frog, and is useful against bosses in the early and midgame. In Cross, it's performed by Serge and Glenn, and is absurdly powerful, especially after both characters attain their respective {{Infinity Plus One Sword}}s.
* ''VideoGame/Progressbar95'': Progressbar 1X. It's the most cutting-edge system available, and the only one with a radial progressbar.

* ''VideoGame/AceCombatXSkiesOfDeception''
** In ''VideoGame/AceCombat7SkiesUnknown'', the enemy ace Mihaly A. Shilage is often called Mister X.
* ''VideoGame/{{Clockwords}}'': The letter X is the only one that has a damage level of five. Any words that have it can deal an impressive 25 damage.
* ''VideoGame/GuitarHero,'' ''VideoGame/RockBand,'' and ''VideoGame/DanceCentral'' developer Creator/{{Harmonix}}.
* ''VideoGame/TheTreeOfLife'': The Chromosome layer is marked as X. Downplayed as it's likely named after the well-known X chromosome, and the letter C was taken by Cells, while two letters are reserved for sublayers.

* The UrEexample is Los Angeles punk band X, led by John Doe and E'''x'''ene Cervenka.
** And the Australian band with the same name.
** Music/XJapan was also originally just named X. They had to change their name when they broke out of Japan because of the already well-established American X.
** In the opposite direction, for a few years in the 1990s British band Bush was known as Bush X in Canada, because a Canadian band from the 1970s still owned the name there.
** British group Liberty X added their X for similar reasons, after being formed from a TV talent show's runners-up as plain 'Liberty'. This was a permanent change, though, as the name was contested within the UK, rather than being a monicker-of-convenience temporarily adopted abroad.
* Progressive metal group Music/SymphonyX.

* Music/TheXX, who also was originally named X before realizing that there were other bands with that name.
* HardcorePunk and [[{{Metalcore}} Metallic Hardcore]] bands (particularly those of the UsefulNotes/StraightEdge persuasion): X's drawn or tattooed on hands are common fashion and often incorporated into band names as well (examples include xDeathstarx, xTyrantx and xLooking Forwardx). The drawn or tattooed "x" seems to have stemmed from "all-ages" concerts, where the doorman would mark underage concert-goers' hands or wrists with an "X" so that bartenders would know not to serve them alcohol - in that context, it was likely chosen because it was just a simple and recognizable shape, but the fact that it's considered a "cool" letter probably also helped it to catch on as a symbol of straight edge.
* Gibson Guitar Corporation created the [[BrokenBase mixedly-received]] [[http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Firebird/Gibson-USA/Firebird-X.aspx Firebird X]], an electric guitar with digital effects and other futuristic additions. Granted, the previous Firebird models are defined with roman numerals (Firebird I, II, III, V, VII and XII) but there never was a VI, VIII or IX. Neither was there XI making the XII and X most probably this trope..
* {{Industrial}} and [[ElectronicMusic EBM]] bands are fond of this trope. We have X-RX, X-Fusion (and [SdrawkcabName Noisuf-X]]), Studio-X, [=XP8=], H.E.X.E., among others. Even bands that don't strictly fit this trope still make frequent use of XtremeKoolLetterz.
* Borderline case: Charlie Sexton's 2nd album, titled just "Charlie Sexton", with the "X" of his name red and x-tra large. Hey, theoretically he could have used any ''other'' letter than the X for that purpose, so it falls under this trope...
* Music/{{XTC}}. Doubles, of course, as a {{Pun}} [[DontExplainTheJoke on ecstasy]].
* Progressive rock band Twelfth Night's 1986 album is sometimes listed as ''X'', but that's actually a mistake. The cover features the band's name incorporated into what looks like a double-underlined X, but is actually the Roman numeral XII (for Twelfth) on its side. The album's actually called [[SelfTitledAlbum Twelfth Night]].
* For Music/{{Pentatonix}}, the group was originally going to be called "The Pentatonics;" after the pentatonic scale. A friend suggested dropping the "The" and adding X at the end.
* Charlotte Aitchison's real name is a fairly clunky and unflattering one for a pop singer, so she took her [[AGoodNameForARockBand MSN Messenger screen name]], Music/CharliXCX, and spiced it up a bit.
-->"It stands for Kiss Charli Kiss, which is fucking lame. It used to be my handle on MSN Messenger. Then I got signed and thought, "Maybe I need to make it cooler," so I told the record label it stood for X-rated Cunt X-rated."
* DMX, named after [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberheim_DMX the eponymous drum machine]], and who often reduces his name to just X (i.e. "X Gon' Give It to Ya" and his debut album '' ... And Then There Was X'').

* The seventeenth and eighteenth Wrestling/{{WrestleMania}}s, called, respectively, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WrestleMania_X-Seven WrestleMania X-Seven]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WrestleMania_X8 WrestleMania X8]].
* Then there was "[[Wrestling/SeanWaltman X-Pac]]," derived from how he had been known as "Syxx" as a member of the Wrestling/NewWorldOrder in Wrestling/{{WCW}} in 1996-1997, and his gear sometimes featured the words "Syxx-Pac."
* And short-lived, Creator/{{MTV}}-backed promotion Wrestling/WrestlingSocietyX.

* Wrestling/{{CHIKARA}}'s Xyberhawx 2000, who are billed from [[PartsUnknown "[=Xyberspace=]"]].
* When Wrestling/SheltonBenjamin worked in Wrestling/{{New Japan|ProWrestling}} and Wrestling/ProWrestlingNOAH in the 2010s, he was known as Shelton X Benjamin.

* ''Radio/DimensionX'': The title relies on the imagination of [[AnotherDimension alternate dimensions]], these stories were all about the [[LetXBeTheUnknown unknown]]; what is to come and how exciting it would be.

* Radio stations in Mexico have call letters that begin with X. This was just an arbitrary assignment by the International Telecommunication Union, but it's very distinctive and memorable. Especially in the days of the "border blasters" and [=DJs=] like Creator/WolfmanJack, the X carried a certain otherworldly, almost outlaw mystique, which Music/ZZTop celebrated in "Heard it on the X".

* Well, [[BigBad Xykon]] from ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' certainly thinks so. He chose the name Xykon for himself after meeting a man named [[LawyerFriendlyCameo Xavion who wanted to recruit him]] for [[ComicBook/XMen his team of sorcerers]], and thought the name "Xavion" sounded cool.
* In ''Webcomic/CharbyTheVampirate'' Dr. Hayter left the Blackbox project for the mysterious Project X shortly before Menulis ate the two scientists he'd been working with on the project during a full moon.

* A certain ''very'' NSFW site URL begins with ex- (no triple x though) and directly cites the above Futurama quote. [[SchmuckBait It's hit #45389 from 82600 if you ''have'' to google.]]

-->'''{{LetsPlay/Chuggaaconroy}}:''' Creator/MichaelBay wants to sound like even more of a badass guy so he's like "I am Michael Bay... X!"
* The Website/YouTube 10 year MilestoneCelebration video is an "A-to-Z". The word "experiments" is used for the X.

* Protoform X in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars''.
** Along with Cheetor's line that the pod was branded with "a big, bad-lookin' X!"

* Planet X in the Westernanimation/DuckDodgers cartoons.
** Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/DuckDodgersInTheTwentyFourthAndAHalfCentury'': they find Planet X by first searching for Planet A, followed by Planet B, followed by...
* [[WesternAnimation/ThePinkPanther The Inspector]] and Sgt. Deux Deux are out to apprehend a figure simply named "X" in the cartoon "Plastered In Paris." It turns out that X is actually the Interpol phys-ed coach and was giving the Inspector a workout.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' were brought to life ''and'' given their ultra-super powers via Chemical X. In one episode Mojo Jojo removes their powers using Antidote X.
* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' features a villain named Red X. Although he does utilise a variety of tools with an "X" motif, the design of the tools would entirely depend on the user's taste, so the trope still applies.

* ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyTest'' has Johnny X.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheModifyers'' has Agent Xero.

* ''Franchise/XMen''. Because ex-men just doesn't sound cool enough.

** X-Men spinoffs have driven this so far into the ground it's punched right through the planet.
*** ''[=X-Treme X-Men=]'' being the ultimate offender.
*** Not to mention peripheral X-character "Adam X the X-Treme." Created in the heyday of the NinetiesAntiHero, he has ''that'' name and the power to [[DarkerAndEdgier ignite people's blood]] and possesses more spikes than [[SpikesOfVillainy actual bad guys]] on his costume in order to expose said blood to the air. Top it all off with a baseball cap worn backwards! Basically the living definition of "trying too hard." (Last seen setting TheJuggernaut [[KillItWithFire on fire,]] and then [[OhCrap realizing that]] he'd set [[NighInvulnerable the Juggernaut]] [[WreathedInFlames on]] [[InfernalRetaliation fire.]] Yeah, ''that'' coulda gone better.)
* ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} has a villain called Mister X.
** And of course Wolverine is Weapon X. (These days, it's the Roman numeral, making him the tenth ''weapon'' created by the SuperSoldier project. ComicBook/CaptainAmerica is Weapon I. But that's a retcon created recently in the scheme of things.)
** Then there's Wolverine's OppositeSexClone ComicBook/{{X 23}}, who was made by a follow-up Weapon X program and is often called "X" by her friends.
* Moira [=Mac=]Taggert's prisoner, the mysterious Mutant X, who turned out to be [[spoiler:her son, AKA Proteus.]] The name was dusted off in the '90s for the comic book starring Havok trapped in a ParallelUniverse, and an unrelated TV series Marvel had ''some'' hand in (''Series/{{Alphas}}'' is sort of a SpiritualSuccessor).
* The ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy's Groot comes from Planet X. He was invented in Marvel's 1950's monster comics, where the name "Planet X" was actually recycled a few times, but the name seems to have stuck in his case.
* Comic artist Frank Granados goes as "Franx Granados" (or just "Franx").

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' {{Fanfic}} ''Fanfic/MyImmortal'' features goffik band [=XBlakXTearX=], featuring Serious Blak, Snap, Lucian Malfoy, and Jamez "Samoro" Potter. Notable for the fact that the latter once [[DisproportionateRetribution shot Lucan's arm off for playing a song wrong.]]
* ''Fanfic/PaperMarioX.'' The X stands for {{crossover}}.
* One of the most popular ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' fangames has the title ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosX''. After the original URL where the game was located, supermariobros.org, was purchased by Nintendo, the creators were able to get away with it by adding an X to it ([[http://supermariobrosx.org supermariobrosx.org]]), also invoking this trope.

* In the Literature/{{Discworld}} of Creator/AAPessimal, [[UsefulNotes/{{Russia}} Rodinian]] witch Xenia Galena runs into a little problem when her name is transliterated from Cyrillic to Morporkian script; in a place fairly recently beset by Gothic dreamers who set up a pseudo-coven of their own, nobody believes anyone can really have a name beginning with an X. Puzzled by older Witches patiently asking her what her ''real'' name is, she turns to a friend who has lived among these peculiar people and knows how their minds work. Irena Politeka explains to both sides.
** A young Witch whose parents christened her "Xena" also has the same problem. Reluctantly, she trades in the "X" for a "Z" but people suspect that's a made-up ''black lacy gloves with no fingers" sort of name too.

* Film/AmericanHistoryX , particularly if you have Creator/AveryBrooks [[TitleDrop bark the phrase]] at the bratty teenager sitting in his office.
* ''Film/XXx'', starring Creator/VinDiesel. xXx's real name is Xander Cage, so the xXx tattooed on his neck could be his initial [[RuleOfThree repeated three times]]. However, after he steals an [[MoralGuardians anti-game senator's]] sports car and drives it off a bridge so he can BASE jump off it in the opening scenes, Creator/SamuelLJackson's character suggests the three X's could also mean three "strikes" against the law. Jackson's character goes on to use 'XXX' as the name for the new task force he has created to bring together unconventional agents to battle dangerous threats.
* X-Wings in ''Franchise/StarWars'' are, like other crafts of the Rebel Alliance, named so because they look like that letter. This is interesting because the ''Star Wars'' universe uses the [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Aurebesh Aurebesh]] script, leading to the question why inhabitants of a galaxy "far, far away" should name their ships after Latin letters. TranslationConvention, or just more InexplicableCulturalTies? Eventually it's {{retcon}}ned that a "[[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/High_Galactic_alphabet High Galactic]]" script that's [[InexplicableCulturalTies inexplicably identical to the Latin alphabet]] also exists in the ''Star Wars'' universe.

* The spacecraft Zero-X in the first ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' film, ''Thunderbirds Are GO.'' Not a prototype, this was the one intended for the first trip to Mars, [[spoiler:until it failed during liftoff and [[StuffBlowingUp exploded in the ocean]]]]. The replacement ship that launched two years later (2067) was also called Zero-X.

* ''Film/JasonX'', which also just happened to be the tenth movie in the ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'' series.
* In the remake of ''Film/TheLongestYard'', Joey Battle (played by Bill Goldberg) has "X" as his uniform "number".
* The film ''[[Film/{{AXL}} A.X.L.]]'' is about a RobotDog which is code-named that. "A.X.L." actually stands for "'''A'''ttack, E'''x'''ploration, '''L'''ogistics."
* ''Film/JuliaX'' is about SerialKillerKiller Julia, who has an 'X' [[PainToTheAss branded on her butt cheek]] by the SerialKiller known as the 'the Brand Killer'.

* ''Literature/DanielX''
* In ''Literature/ThePendragonAdventure'', the biggest competition in Quillain's existence is the Grand X.
* The SF trilogy by Ramez Naam: "Nexus", "Crux", "Apex". The second one even got a somewhat shoehorned TitleDrop in the respective book, as if to say: [[SarcasmMode "Hey, it's totally NOT this trope!"]]

* [[Franchise/StarTrek Starfleet]] designates experimental starships' line number with NX, instead of the usual NCC. Unfortunately, NX is changed to NCC as soon as the model enters common use.

* In ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'', the TransformationSequence includes three [=Xs=] (and a V) because ''Gokaiger'' is the 35th Franchise/SuperSentai series.
* ''Creator/DisneyXD'', or "eXtremely Digital". That's right, little boys, Disney is cool now and totally not just for girls.
* ''Series/MostExtremeEliminationChallenge'' or just MXC. Don't get eliminated!

* Franchise/{{Kamen Rider}}s [[Series/KamenRiderX X]], [[Film/KamenRiderZX ZX]] [[note]] It's actually pronounced Zee-Cross [[/note]], and [[Series/KamenRiderBlackRX Black RX]].
** The Heisei Era gave us [[Series/KamenRider555 Kaixa]], whose motif is the Greek letter Kai (looks like an X, and his suit is covered with them), and ''Series/KamenRiderExAid''. Besides just his name, he gets his powers from a FictionalVideoGame series whose titles usually have an X or two on the end.
* ''Series/UltramanX'' puts the X on whatever it can find. Heck, the Xio team HomeBase is a giant building shaped like an X!
* ''Series/UltrasevenX'', released in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of ''Series/{{Ultraseven}}''.

* The ur-example is Los Angeles punk band X, led by John Doe and E'''x'''ene Cervenka.

* ''Anime/SpeedRacer'' has Racer X. And [[WesternAnimation/SpeedRacerTheNextGeneration later named a child "X"]].
* ''Anime/SonicX'', but we all know that Sonic is cool anyway.
* ''Manga/{{X 1999}}'', an anime made by Creator/{{CLAMP}}. Then they went overboard and became ''Manga/XxxHolic''... (The xxx is silent, it denotes a variable in Japanese. The English would be ___holic.)
* The working title for ''Anime/{{Pokemon 2000}}'' movie was Pokémon X, and in fact there is a faint X shape in the final version poster/cover of the Japanese version.
** That explains why Lugia is referred to as 'Mystery Pokémon X' in a Johto miniarc.
* ''[[Anime/AfterWarGundamX Gundam X]]'', though it didn't ''quite'' work...
** Justified, though, in that the titular Gundam's wing binders open up in the shape of an X when it deploys its [[WaveMotionGun Satellite Cannon]].
* ''Anime/TurnAGundam'' gives us the Turn-X Gundam. Whose name doesn't make a lick of sense, but the thing is awesome ''and'' deadly!
* The ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' franchise gave us ''Audioplay/StrikersSoundStageX''. Confused some people into thinking that this was the tenth Sound Stage (it was the eleventh, excluding the [[FourthWallMailSlot Megami Sound Stages]]). The X [[OneLetterName stood for the]] MysteriousWaif.

* While they haven't yet appeared in the show, the ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'' card game has the X-Sabers and their beefed-up cousins, the XX-Sabers.
** Also the most probable reason for 4Kids deciding to pronounce the previously silent X in ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL''
* ''Anime/DarlingInTheFranxx'', which along with double Xs in the mechas of the title, also has the villains, the Klaxxosaurs.

* Planet X in ''Anime/TransformersCybertron''.
* The GirlsLove manga ''Manga/HayateCrossBlade'' (where the X is pronounced "cross".)
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' deals with an organization called Xcution.
** Lille Barro of the Vandenreich has an ability called "The X-Axis", one of the most powerful abilities seen among the Schrift and outside of it, and he is an expert sniper with heavy angel motifs.

* ''Anime/RahXephon''.
* This is the basis behind the name of X-Brawn in ''Anime/TransformersRobotsInDisguise''. It was for a whole thought that X-Brawn was used because Hasbro couldn't secure a trademark on 'Brawn', but one of their marketers later explained that they just put in the X too look cool.
* ''Manga/MysteriousGirlfriendX''. Extra-strange because the X doesn't seem to mean anything (the "mysterious girlfriend" has an actual name).
* The anime adaptation of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' has two english dubs. One of them leaves the title unchanged, while the other renames the show "Samurai X".
* Halfway through ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'', the main hero Digimon, V-mon (Veemon), finally gets a proper digivolved form of his own, a taller buffed version of himself called XV-mon ([=ExVeemon=]).
* In ''Anime/ZoidsNewCentury'', Ultimate X is the name given to exceptionally powerful zoids with an integrated Black Box/Organoid System.

[[folder:Live Action TV X]]

* In ''[[{{VideoGame/MUGEN}} MUGEN]]'', there is a modified, much more powerful and [[NintendoHard harder to beat]] version of [[ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} Popeye The Sailor]] double-modified by [=ArthurDM=] and then DDR named [[https://mugenarchive.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=38599-popeye-x-ddr Popeye X]]. The X was added to his name for no reason, aside from making the everyone's favourite already cool spinach-eating sailor sound even cooler. [[X]]X-ellent x'cuse![[/X]]

* In [[{{VideoGame/MUGEN}} MUGEN]], there is a modified, much more powerful and [[NintendoHard harder to beat]] version of [[ComicStrip/{{Popeye}} Popeye The Sailor]] double-modified by [=ArthurDM=] and then DDR named [[https://mugenarchive.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=38599-popeye-x-ddr Popeye X]]. The X was added to his name for no reason, aside from making the everyone's favourite already cool spinach-eating sailor sound even cooler. X-ellent x'cuse!

* Auralnauts' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuw5u5qXPjs fake commercial]] for an "X Chair".

* A Norwegian 6-year old forced his parents to deliver a letter he wrote to the King of Norway, asking for permission to change his name to Sonic X.

* ''VideoGame/TheTreeOfLife'': The Chromosome layer is marked as X. Downplayed as it's likely named after the well-known X chromosome, and the letter C was taken by Cells, while two letters are reserved for layers which were initially tabs.