If you’re trying to keep track of Elon Musk’s kids names, honestly, join the club. It feels like every time we blink, there’s a new headline about a "secret" addition to the Musk dynasty. It isn't just you; even the most dedicated pop-culture junkies are struggling to keep the tally straight.
By the start of 2026, the number has climbed to 14.
Fourteen. That’s a lot of birthdays to remember, especially when half the names sound like they were pulled from a sci-fi novel or a high-end graphics card manual. It’s a mix of traditional names, Greek mythology, and straight-up math equations. Let's break down the whole family tree, from the early days with Justine Wilson to the latest updates involving Shivon Zilis and the newest controversy with Ashley St. Clair.
The Early Years with Justine Wilson
Elon’s first foray into fatherhood started with his first wife, Canadian author Justine Wilson. This part of the family history is both the most traditional and, sadly, the most tragic.
- Nevada Alexander Musk: Born in 2002. Nevada was the firstborn, but he tragically passed away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) at just 10 weeks old. It’s a piece of Musk’s history that people often overlook, but it clearly shaped his perspective on family.
After Nevada's death, the couple turned to IVF. They had five more children together before their messy 2008 divorce.
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- Griffin Musk and Vivian Jenna Wilson: The first set of twins, born in 2004. Griffin stays mostly out of the spotlight, but Vivian is a different story.
- The Triplets (2006): Kai, Saxon, and Damian Musk.
Vivian made major waves in 2022 when she legally changed her name and gender. She famously dropped the Musk surname, telling the court she no longer wished to be related to her biological father "in any way, shape, or form." If you’ve seen Elon’s recent interviews, you know this is a massive sore spot for him. He’s been pretty vocal (and controversial) about their estrangement.
Enter Grimes: The Era of "X" and "Y"
When Elon started dating the experimental pop star Grimes (Claire Boucher), everyone knew things were going to get weird. They didn't disappoint. Their children’s names are basically a Rorschach test for tech nerds.
X Æ A-Xii (X)
Born in May 2020. This is the one that broke the internet. Originally named X Æ A-12, they had to change it to the Roman numeral version to comply with California law. Grimes explained that "X" is the unknown variable, "Æ" is her elven spelling of AI, and "A-12" is a precursor to the SR-71 Blackbird. Simple, right? He goes by "X."
Exa Dark Sideræl (Y)
Born via surrogate in December 2021. "Exa" refers to exaFLOPS (supercomputing power), "Dark" is about the unknown, and "Sideræl" is a "more elven" spelling of sidereal (star time). They call her "Y."
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Techno Mechanicus (Tau)
This one was a total surprise. We didn't even know he existed until Walter Isaacson’s biography of Musk dropped in 2023. His nickname "Tau" is a mathematical constant.
The Neuralink Connection: Shivon Zilis
While things were "fluid" with Grimes, Elon was also busy with Shivon Zilis, an executive at his company, Neuralink. This is where the numbers really started to jump.
- Strider Sekhar Sirius and Azure Astra Alice: Twins born in November 2021. Yes, they were born just weeks before "Y."
- Arcadia: A daughter born in February 2024.
- Seldon Lycurgus: The newest Zilis-Musk addition. Zilis announced his birth on X (formerly Twitter) in February 2025.
The name Seldon is almost certainly a nod to Hari Seldon, the protagonist of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series. Musk is obsessed with those books. Lycurgus, on the other hand, refers to the legendary lawgiver of Sparta. It’s very "on brand" for Elon—blending sci-fi futurism with ancient history.
The 2026 Update: Romulus Musk
The 14th child is the one currently making lawyers rich. In 2025, reports surfaced that Musk had a son with conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair. The boy, named Romulus Musk, was reportedly born in 2024.
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As of January 2026, things have turned sour. Recent reports indicate Musk has filed for full custody of Romulus. Why? Allegedly because St. Clair shifted her public views to support the trans community—a move that reportedly didn't sit well with Musk given his ongoing public feud with his daughter, Vivian. It’s messy. It’s public. It’s peak Elon.
Why are Elon’s kids names so... different?
Basically, Elon views the world through the lens of a "first principles" engineer. To him, a name isn't just a label; it’s a set of variables or a tribute to the ideas he thinks will save humanity (like AI, space travel, and historical law).
But there’s also a darker side. Musk has been sounding the alarm on "underpopulation" for years. He genuinely believes that high-IQ people have a moral obligation to have as many children as possible.
Quick Reference of All 14 Kids:
- Nevada Alexander (with Justine Wilson)
- Griffin (with Justine Wilson)
- Vivian Jenna Wilson (with Justine Wilson)
- Kai (with Justine Wilson)
- Saxon (with Justine Wilson)
- Damian (with Justine Wilson)
- X Æ A-Xii (with Grimes)
- Exa Dark Sideræl (with Grimes)
- Techno Mechanicus (with Grimes)
- Strider Sekhar Sirius (with Shivon Zilis)
- Azure Astra Alice (with Shivon Zilis)
- Arcadia (with Shivon Zilis)
- Seldon Lycurgus (with Shivon Zilis)
- Romulus (with Ashley St. Clair)
It’s worth noting that while some of these kids—like X—are constantly in the public eye (often seen on Elon's shoulders at SpaceX launches), the older kids have almost entirely scrubbed themselves from his public life.
If you're trying to stay updated on the ever-shifting world of the Musk family, keep an eye on court filings in Texas and California. That's usually where the "secret" births and name changes actually come to light before they hit your social media feed. If the current trajectory holds, we might be looking at child number 15 before the year is out.
For those looking to understand the legalities or the "why" behind these unconventional names, your best bet is to look into California’s naming handbook (which limited X’s name) and the biographies written by Walter Isaacson, which offer the most direct insight into Elon's procreation philosophy.