Elon Musk, known as the billionaire genius, aspires to colonize Mars, revolutionize transportation, and potentially replace human brains with AI chips. But while his tech empire is booming, his personal life is a web of emotional chaos, estranged relationships, and eyebrow-raising baby name choices. Despite being the world’s richest man, Musk’s family life is far from picture-perfect. From heartbreak and loss to bitter custody battles and children who want nothing to do with him, here’s a deep dive into the tragic details of Elon Musk’s kids.
The Death of Musk’s Firstborn
Before Musk became a father to a dozen children (and counting), he and his first wife, Canadian author Justine Wilson, experienced an unimaginable tragedy. In 2002, the couple welcomed their first child, Nevada Alexander Musk. But joy quickly turned to devastation when Nevada passed away at just 10 weeks old due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
In 2022, Musk spoke about his grief when refusing to reinstate conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on Twitter, stating, “My firstborn child died in my arms. I felt his last heartbeat.”
Wilson later clarified that she was the one holding Nevada at the time, revealing a rare moment where Musk’s version of events didn’t quite align with reality.
The heartbreak of losing Nevada deeply affected Musk and Wilson, leading them to pursue IVF for future pregnancies.
One Child Publicly Disowns Him
Determined to grow their family, Musk and Wilson used in vitro fertilization (IVF), which resulted in twins—Griffin and Vivian—born in 2004, followed by triplets—Kai, Saxon, and Damian—in 2006. That’s right, five kids in the span of two years. Clearly, Musk doesn’t do things halfway.
While Griffin and the triplets have kept a low profile, Vivian has taken a very public stance against her father. In 2022, she filed legal documents to change her name to Vivian Jenna Wilson, dropping her father’s last name and adopting her mother’s.
What was her court statement? “I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape, or form.” Ouch.
Musk has attributed their estrangement to what he calls the “woke mind virus.” In a 2024 interview, he lamented, “I lost my son, essentially… My son is dead.” Since Vivian is very much alive, it’s clear Musk sees her transition as a personal loss, making their fractured relationship even more tragic.
Strange Names and a Custody Battle for the Ages
In 2018, Musk began a highly-publicized relationship with Canadian musician Grimes, which led to three more children and enough internet discourse to last a lifetime.
Meet the Musk-Grimes Offspring:
- X Æ A-Xii (aka “X”)—Born May 2020. Originally named X Æ A-12, the name had to be altered because California doesn’t allow numerals on birth certificates. Pronounced “X Ash A Twelve,” it remains one of the most meme-worthy baby names of all time.
- Exa Dark Sideræl Musk (aka “Y”)—Born via surrogate in December 2021.
- Techno Mechanicus (aka “Tau”)—His existence wasn’t revealed until September 2023. Tau is a reference to a mathematical constant, proving that Musk treats his children’s names like equations.
Grimes and Musk’s on-again, off-again relationship imploded into a nasty custody battle in 2023. Grimes publicly pleaded for Musk to let her see one of their children, suggesting that she had been denied access. In 2024, her mother even accused Musk of withholding the kids’ passports, preventing them from visiting their dying great-grandmother.
Meanwhile, Musk has continued taking their son X to high-profile events, including political rallies and business meetings, something Grimes is deeply uncomfortable with. She has voiced concerns over X’s exposure to public scrutiny, fearing the long-term impact on his mental health.
The Secret Workplace Babies
If you thought things couldn’t get more complicated—think again.
In July 2022, it was revealed that Musk had secretly fathered twins with Shivon Zilis, an executive at his company Neuralink. The twins, born in November 2021, were conceived via IVF. The revelation raised eyebrows, given that Zilis was a direct report at the time, blurring the lines between personal and professional boundaries.
To make things even messier, reports surfaced in early 2024 that Zilis welcomed a third child via surrogacy, bringing Musk’s total offspring count to twelve.
Lucky Number 13?
In February 2025, conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair publicly claimed that she had secretly given birth to Musk’s 13th child five months earlier. She explained that she had kept the birth under wraps to protect their child’s privacy but decided to go public due to looming tabloid exposure.
She also alleged that Musk had not responded to her private attempts to discuss co-parenting, leading to increased speculation about whether Musk had ghosted yet another baby mama.
Meanwhile, Musk’s estranged daughter Vivian found out about her alleged new sibling the way most people do—on social media. Her reaction? She wryly noted that this wasn’t the first time she learned about a new half-sibling online, further proving the chaotic nature of Musk’s ever-expanding brood.
A Family Tree with More Branches than a Redwood
With at least 13 known children, multiple estranged relationships, and several ongoing custody battles, Musk’s family dynamic is nothing short of a soap opera. His vision for expanding civilization appears to include personally boosting the birth rate, but the cost has been fractured relationships and estranged children.
For all his ambitions to build colonies on Mars, Musk’s family drama remains very much an Earth-bound problem—one that keeps growing in complexity with every new revelation.
One can only imagine what Thanksgiving at the Musk household might look like in 2035.
