--- title: "Tech Billionaire Forced to Rename Humongous Yacht After Realizing It Spelled Something Horrible Backwards" description: "Oracle founder Larry Ellison named his 191-foot superyacht \"Izanami,\" only to change his mind after finding out what it spelled backwards." date: "2026-01-15" modified: "2026-01-15" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor.md" url: "https://futurism.com/future-society/larry-ellison-yacht-name" categories: - "Future Society" --- # Tech Billionaire Forced to Rename Humongous Yacht After Realizing It Spelled Something Horrible Backwards ![Oracle CEO Larry Ellison named his 191-foot superyacht "Izanami," only to change his mind after finding out what it spelled backwards.]() *CHRIS CAMERON/AFP via Getty Images* A billionaire mogul patriarch who owns an enormous global media and entertainment conglomerate has several children, who are chomping at the bit to inherit his riches while vying for his attention. No, we're not talking about HBO's hit TV series "Succession" — we're talking about Oracle cofounder and centibillionaire Larry Ellison and his six offspring. His firstborn, David Ellison, in particular, has already begun following his father's footsteps, giving up a failing acting career in a bid to eventually take the helm of Paramount Skydance, which has a market cap of around $13.3 billion, in August. As detailed in a [recent *Vulture* profile](), attention to detail doesn't appear to be the family patriarch's strong suit. After spending tens of millions of dollars on a Florida safari park, he bought himself an enormous, 191-foot vessel — technically a downsize from his previous, 288-foot yacht — and named it "Izanami." The name was reportedly inspired by a Shinto deity in Japanese mythology of the same name, the female creator of creation itself and death. But the moniker didn't stick after Ellison was informed that the name spelled something deeply embarrassing when reversed: "I'm a Nazi." It's the kind of joke the "Succession" writers' room could only dream of coming up with. And it's especially awkward given the family's strong ties to Israel. His first wife described Ellison as "an ardent Zionist," per *Vulture*, and he's been known to be "close" with current prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The yacht's name drew a mix of emotions from users on social media. "This is straight out of Succession," podcast host Rob Pasbani [joked on X-formerly-Twitter](). Others were exhausted from hearing about some of the wealthiest people on the planet barely holding it together. "I am so tired, y'all," one exhausted Reddit user [wrote](). "'Reality' is just too on the nose, we must be in a simulation," another user added. **More on Ellison:** [*Trump Adviser Admits Larry Ellison Is “Shadow President of the United States”*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()