You just spent sixty thousand dollars on a piece of software with wheels. It’s sitting in your driveway, shimmering in Ultra Red or Stealth Grey, and the first thing the screen asks you to do isn't to set your home address. It’s to give it a soul.
Naming your car is a weird, modern rite of passage. In the old days, you might have called your beat-up Corolla "The Rust Bucket" under your breath when it wouldn't start, but Tesla made it official. They gave us a text box in the app. Now, if you don't have a clever moniker for your Model 3, you're basically the odd one out at the Supercharger.
The S3XY History of Tesla Naming
Honestly, the whole company started with a naming joke. Elon Musk famously wanted the lineup to spell out "SEXY." He got the S, then the X, but Ford—being the protective legacy giant they are—blocked Tesla from using "Model E." They’d trademarked it years ago.
Musk’s workaround? Use a 3. It looks like a backwards E anyway.
By the time the Model Y rolled out, the "S3XY" joke was complete. It’s juvenile, sure, but it set the tone for the entire community. We aren't just driving appliances; we’re driving things with a sense of humor. That’s why the "Software" tab in your car is more than just version numbers. It’s where your car's digital birth certificate lives.
Pop Culture: From Jarvis to Starman
Most names for tesla cars fall into the "I'm a massive nerd" category. If you walk through a parking lot with the Tesla app open, you are almost guaranteed to see at least three cars named Jarvis. It makes sense—the car talks to you, drives for you, and sometimes feels like a suit of armor.
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Then you’ve got the Star Wars crowd.
White Teslas are almost exclusively called Stormtrooper or TK-421.
Black ones? Vader or Toothless (shoutout to How to Train Your Dragon).
It’s a bit cliché at this point, but hey, if the shoe fits.
I’ve seen some genuinely deep cuts lately too. People are naming their Model Ys Appa from Avatar: The Last Airbender because, like the flying bison, the car is big, white, and "flies" when you hit the accelerator. Plus, yelling "Yip Yip!" while merging onto the highway is a vibe you can't get in a Honda Civic.
The Punny Side of the Supercharger
If you aren't into sci-fi, you're probably into puns. It’s a law of nature.
- Tesslaract (For the Marvel/physics nerds)
- Nikola (The obvious homage)
- Wattsun (Elementary, my dear driver)
- Elon-gated Muskrat (For those who like to keep it weird)
- Voltswagen (A cheeky nod to the German rivals)
One owner I talked to named their car Current Mood. Another went with Skeletor because the car "evil cackles" (aka the pedestrian warning sound) when they back out of the garage.
Hidden Easter Eggs: Names That Actually Do Something
Tesla is famous for hiding treats in the code. If you name your car certain things, the interface actually changes. It’s not just a name; it’s a trigger.
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If you name your car 42, the car’s name in the system changes to "Life, the Universe, and Everything" as a nod to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Try naming it Patsy, Biggus Dickus, or Unladen Swallow. These are all Monty Python references. Once you do, the "About Your Tesla" screen transforms with special graphics. It’s a small, totally useless, but incredibly satisfying detail that makes the car feel less like a machine and more like a toy.
How to Actually Change the Name (2026 Update)
The process has stayed pretty consistent, but if you're new to the ecosystem, it's easy to miss. You have two main ways to do it.
On the Touchscreen:
Tap the Car Icon (Controls) > Software. On the right side of the screen, you’ll see an image of your car. Right below that is the model name (e.g., "Model 3"). Tap it. A keyboard pops up, and you’re in business.
On the App:
Open the Tesla app. On the main screen where you see your car’s status, tap the Gear Icon or just tap the name at the very top. In the 2026 app version, you can even pick a custom icon to go with the name, which helps if you’re one of those lucky people with a three-car Tesla garage.
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Why Does This Even Matter?
It sounds silly to care this much about a nickname for a vehicle. But there’s a psychological flip that happens when you name a piece of tech.
Cars are expensive. They are also, increasingly, autonomous. There’s a level of trust involved in letting a computer steer you at 70 mph. Giving it a name—whether it’s Serenity or The Toaster—humanizes the technology. It bridges the gap between "scary robot" and "reliable companion."
Also, let’s be real: it’s just fun. When you get a notification on your phone that says "Batmobile has finished charging," it’s a lot cooler than "Vehicle 1 has finished charging."
Finding Your Car’s Identity
If you’re stuck, look at the color.
A Blue Model S practically begs to be called Sonic or Bluey.
A Silver Cybertruck? Delorean 2.0 or The Fridge.
A Red Model 3 is often Scarlet or Rocinante (for the Expanse fans).
Don't feel pressured to be original. There are probably ten thousand Teslas named Sparky on the road right now. If you like it, use it. But if you want to stand out at the local meet-up, maybe dig a little deeper into your favorite niche hobby. I once saw a Tesla named Kasparov because the owner loved the history of Deep Blue vs. Garry Kasparov—man vs. machine. That’s top-tier naming.
Ready to commit?
- Open your Tesla app right now.
- Go to the vehicle settings.
- Delete "Model [X]" and type in something that makes you smile.
You can change it as many times as you want, so there’s zero risk. If Jarvis feels too pretentious after a week, switch it to Boring Car. The car won't mind. It’s just waiting for you to tell it who it is.