What Exactly Is a ‘Raddix’?

Had you, 15 years ago, told me, a former Good Charlotte superfan, that Benji Madden and Cameron Diaz would meet, marry, and have a baby, I would have told you to log off fanfiction.net and get a life. Yet on the third day of 2020, because everything in the news now constantly sounds like Mad Libs, Benji Madden and Cameron Diaz welcomed into the world their first daughter: Raddix Madden, per an announcement on Instagram. Congratulations to the happy couple!

We do, however, have one question: What the hell is a “Raddix”? Judging by all the tweets about Baby Madden’s name, it seems safe to say that plenty of people are having the same thought right now. One might wonder, radish but with an x, or even “rad dicks!” Turns out, that ain’t it.

A “raddix” according to Dictionary.com doesn’t exist.

Well then! Tell that to all the other people and things named Raddix, including:

• A self-described “EDM and trap singer” based in San Antonio, Texas.
• An insurance company based in South Africa.
• A character in Bruce Merchant’s self-published fiction book called Moonkind: Survivors of Ebola.

A “radix,” meanwhile, does.

Derived from the Latin word for “root,” a radix is the base in a numerical system, according to both Dictionary.com and Merriam Webster. (And while I could try to explain all the extra formulas associated with that definition, I’m not Good Will Hunting, so read a Wikipedia page, why don’t you?) Radix can also be used to mean the primary source of something: a root both literally and figuratively. The latter kinda makes sense for a first child!

And while this dictionary definition of radix might suggest that baby Madden’s name isn’t pronounced like “rad dicks,” both the linguistic addition of the second d and Diaz’s description of baby Raddix as “rad” suggests that it is.

Radix, however, also has a more political association.

Radix is also the name of white supremacist Richard Spencer’s journal and online magazine, as pointed out by former VICE News reporter Gaby Del Valle. Spencer founded Radix in 2012 to publish “original work on culture, race, tradition, meta-politics, and critical theory,” and the choice of name is tied to the journal’s perceived ideology of being “radical,” a word that comes from the same Latin root. [picks up bullhorn] Folks! Google your kid’s name first!

Anyway, is Raddix a common name?

It doesn’t seem like it, given its absence on BabyNames.com and the overall lack of information on BabyCenter.com. That said, according to the latter, if you’re into Raddix but not into the slight Richard Spencer association or ripping off a celebrity couple, you might like: Jerex, Axeton, Kinxton, Baxter, Caemon, Foxton, Andrix, Reeves, Rylan, Ralen, Radley, or Ganix.

Congrats, Benji and Cameron! We look forward to the day you welcome Axeton, Ganix, and Caemon into the Madden family as well.