What We Know About Elon Musk’s Kids, Including One Who Passed Away – Rare Photos of Some of Them

Elon Musk’s first steps into fatherhood began more than two decades ago. Since then, his family has grown across different relationships, with some moments making headlines and others remaining largely private.

Though much of his personal life is kept under wraps, court documents, interviews, and social media have revealed surprising details about his children and family life over the years.

The Birth of Elon’s First Child and an Unimaginable Loss

Elon met Justine Wilson while they were both students at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. Justine was in her first year, and Elon, a year ahead of her, was a 19-year-old student with a South African accent and an ambitious spirit.

Their romance quickly grew, and after Elon sold his first company, Zip2, they got engaged and moved into a newly renovated condo. By January 2000, they were married. Two years later, they welcomed their first child, Nevada Alexander Musk.

In 2002, their joy turned to heartbreak when Nevada stopped breathing during a nap at just 10 weeks old. Although paramedics managed to resuscitate him, Nevada had been without oxygen for too long and was declared brain dead.

He spent three days on life support before Justine and Elon made the painful decision to let him go. Justine held him in her arms as he passed away. When news of Nevada’s passing resurfaced years later, it struck a chord with many people.

“That’s so heartbreaking to learn they lost their baby…. I didn’t even know that, and I can only imagine how hard & sad that is to lose a child… I’m so sorry,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “Oh god, I can’t even imagine. So tragic! No one should ever bury their child.”

The loss deeply affected the couple, but in the years that followed, they went on to grow their family through in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Twins and Triplets – Expanding the Family

After Nevada’s passing, Elon and Justine became parents to five more children. In 2004, he welcomed twins, Griffin and Xavier. Two years later, triplets Kai, Saxon, and Damian joined the family.

During their marriage, Elon continued to expand his business ventures. However, the pressures of his growing career and personal life eventually took a toll on their relationship. In 2008, the couple divorced and Elon went on to date actress, Talulah Riley.

Despite their differences, they agreed to share custody of their five sons. In 2022, one of the twins, Xavier, made headlines after petitioning for a legal name and gender change. She adopted Vivian Jenna Wilson, taking her mother’s maiden name, and requested to sever ties with her father.

Court documents revealed her reasoning, “I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape, or form.” A Los Angeles County judge approved the legal change. Vivian is active on TikTok, where she has attracted over 387,000 followers.

Her social media account offers rare glimpses into her life, making her one of the more public-facing members of the Musk family. Elon’s family continued to grow in the years that followed, this time with musician Grimes.

Elon’s Children with Grimes

Elon’s next chapter in fatherhood began with his relationship with Canadian musician Claire Boucher, better known by her stage name, Grimes. The couple welcomed their first child, X AE A-XII, in May 2020.

Referred to simply as “X,” he has made several appearances with his father at business meetings and events. According to Grimes, X has shown an early fascination with engineering and space.

She once mentioned that X was upset when his toy rockets weren’t anatomically correct and even experienced a “three-day meltdown” after watching a Starship test failure.

In December 2021, Grimes and Elon expanded their family once again with the birth of their daughter, Exa Dark Sideræl, born via surrogate. Exa, affectionately nicknamed “Y,” was unconventionally introduced to the world — crying in the background during Grimes’ Vanity Fair interview.

In 2023, it was revealed that Grimes and Elon had a third child, Techno Mechanicus, nicknamed Tau. The child’s existence was confirmed in Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon, but little else is known about Tau.

Elon’s family continued to grow even further, thanks to his connection with one of his top executives.

Expanding the Family Again

In 2021, Elon welcomed another set of twins — this time with Shivon Zilis, an executive at Neuralink. The news of the twins’ birth became public in 2022 after court documents petitioning to change their names surfaced.

The request was to give them Elon’s last name while including Zilis’ surname as part of their middle name. The twins were born just weeks before Elon and Grimes welcomed their second child via surrogate in December 2021.

Although the births were kept quiet initially, Elon later confirmed the twins’ existence. The tech billionaire did not stop at 11 children.

The Newest Addition and Elon’s Views on Fatherhood

In early 2024, Elon’s family expanded again with the birth of his twelfth child, another baby with Shivon. Although details about the child remain private, Elon later confirmed the birth, emphasizing that it was not a secret.

When asked how many children he hopes to have, Elon explained that he is motivated by concerns about declining birth rates. “As many as I am able to spend time with and be a good father,” he shared in an interview.

Reflecting on his older children, Elon mentioned how difficult it is to spend time with teenagers as they grow more independent, saying, “I wish they would (sigh).”

Elon’s family life is as multifaceted as his career, with 12 known children across different stages of his life. Rare photos and public appearances have sparked plenty of discussion online.

After biographer Walter Isaacson shared a photo of Elon with two of his sons, fans quickly noticed the family resemblance. One person commented, “His son at the back? Clear resemblance to Musk,” while another added, “His teenage son looks just like him.”

Despite his demanding career, Elon Musk has openly discussed his desire to be an involved father. He often brings his young son X to business meetings and encourages his children’s interests in engineering and space.