Is Childe‘s real name Ajax?
The Brief Answer
Yes, Childe‘s birth name is Ajax. Tartaglia was originally named Ajax by his father in Snezhnaya, after a warrior hero from classic tales.
The Origins of His Real Name
According to official sources, the man known as "Childe" and "Tartaglia" in Teyvat was born as Ajax. He grew up as the eldest of four siblings in the Lawrence clan of Snezhnaya. Their father was said to be a great lover of heroic sagas and legends. Thus, he chose the name Ajax for his firstborn son, inspired by a historical Greek warrior hero.
Ajax was a formidable fighter in Homer‘s epic Trojan War story The Iliad. He was known for his great strength and courage, being second only to the legendary Achilles among the Greek forces. Tartaglia‘s father likely saw similar promise in his own son and dubbed him Ajax to reflect the noble qualities he hoped his child would embody.
When Did He Assume Other Names?
As evidenced in the table below, Tartaglia‘s shift from his birth name Ajax corresponds with his induction into the Fatui Harbingers at a young age:
| Age | Name(s) Used |
| Birth-13 years | Ajax |
| 14 years | Becomes warrior; likely starts using Tartaglia as Fatui codename |
| 18 years | Youngest Harbinger, given title "Childe" |
| Present Day | Primarily called Tartaglia and Childe in operations |
As a Fatui Harbinger, he needed an alias and chose the name Tartaglia from historical Italian mathematician Niccolò Tartaglia. The young prodigy Ajax took on greater renown across Teyvat by earning the nickname "Childe" and reputation as the formidable Tartaglia among the Fatui ranks.
Shifting Identities Between Roles
When conducting Fatui missions, he goes exclusively by Childe or Tartaglia these days. However, Ajax‘s close family members likely still call him by the name his parents gave him.
This dichotomy highlights the two spheres of his life – the secrecy required for Fatui work versus the familiar bonds of family. So while Tartaglia has a feared public persona, the name Ajax reflects the private origins of who he really is outside of being a Harbinger.
Could There Be an Earlier True Name?
Given that little is known about Childe‘s life as a very small child, it‘s possible an even earlier name preceded Ajax. However, there are not enough details at present about his first few years to conclusively say.
I speculate that if his parents called their son anything different before age 3-5, Ajax still became his predominant name for most of his upbringing based on current information. But future story quests could perhaps reveal more!
In Summary
Tartaglia assumed the Fatui aliases of "Childe" and his signature namesake "Tartaglia" over time. But archon quests and character stories confirm he was born as Ajax before these titles. While most of Teyvat refers to him by his Harbinger codenames now, I believe his inner circle knows the man as Ajax at his core.
