You’ve probably seen the memes. You’ve definitely seen the headlines. When we talk about elon musks sons name, we aren't just talking about a single kid with a weird string of characters for a birth certificate. We are talking about a massive, sprawling family tree that includes 14 children as of early 2026.
Honestly, trying to keep track of the Musk lineage is like trying to follow a season of Succession if it was written by a sci-fi novelist on a caffeine bender. From the tragic loss of his firstborn to the legal battles over "X," the names aren't just labels. They're a reflection of a man who views his children as literal pieces of the future.
The first sons: Justine Wilson and the IVF era
Before there was "X" or "Tau," there was Nevada.
In 2002, Elon and his first wife, Justine Wilson, welcomed their first son, Nevada Alexander Musk. It’s a heartbreaking chapter that many people skip over. At just 10 weeks old, Nevada died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Justine has written movingly about the experience, describing the pain of holding her son as he was taken off life support.
Life moved fast after that.
Seeking to grow their family quickly, Elon and Justine turned to IVF. In 2004, the twins arrived: Griffin and Vivian (who was born Xavier). Vivian has since famously cut ties with her father, legally changing her name and dropping the Musk surname entirely to distance herself from his public persona.
Then came the triplets in 2006.
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- Kai
- Saxon
- Damian
These three have stayed remarkably low-profile. While their dad is busy buying social media platforms and launching rockets, these boys are mostly known for attending the Ad Astra school—a private, experimental school Elon founded to bypass traditional education methods. Damian, in particular, has been described by biographers as a math and physics prodigy who is also a gifted classical musician.
X Æ A-Xii: The name that broke the internet
When Grimes gave birth in May 2020, the world stopped. The announcement of X Æ A-12 felt like a glitch in the simulation.
Basically, everyone wanted to know two things: what does it mean, and how do you even say it?
The "X" is the unknown variable. The "Æ" is the elven spelling of AI (Artificial Intelligence). The "A-12" refers to the Lockheed A-12, the precursor to the SR-71 Blackbird—Elon’s favorite plane.
But California law is kinda strict about names. You can't have numbers in them. So, they tweaked it to X Æ A-Xii, using Roman numerals.
As for the pronunciation? Even the parents didn't agree at first.
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- Grimes' version: She says it’s "X" (the letter) followed by "A.I." (A-I).
- Elon's version: On the Joe Rogan podcast, he said it's "X Ash A-Twelve."
Most of the time, he just goes by "X." You’ve probably seen him. He’s the toddler frequently seen sitting on his dad’s shoulders at Tesla factories or visiting the White House.
The secret expansion: Tau, Strider, and the Zilis children
Just when the public thought they had a handle on the Musk household, things got... complicated.
In 2021, news broke that Elon had twins with Shivon Zilis, an executive at his company, Neuralink. Their names are Strider Zilis Musk and Azure Zilis Musk. They were born just weeks before Elon and Grimes welcomed a daughter via surrogate.
Then came Techno Mechanicus.
Revealed in Walter Isaacson’s 2023 biography, Techno (nicknamed "Tau") is Elon’s third child with Grimes. The name fits the brand: futuristic, metallic, and slightly confusing. Tau is the Greek letter representing $2\pi$, a nod to the mathematical constant.
By late 2024 and early 2025, the count grew again. Shivon Zilis confirmed the birth of two more children: a daughter named Arcadia and a son named Seldon Lycurgus. Seldon is likely a reference to Hari Seldon, the protagonist of Isaacson Asimov’s Foundation series, which Elon has cited as a major influence on his life's mission.
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The Romulus controversy
The latest addition to the list of elon musks sons name involves a son named Romulus.
Born in September 2024 to conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair, Romulus has been the subject of public legal drama. St. Clair has been vocal on X (the platform), calling Musk a "petulant man-child" and alleging he has had very little involvement in the boy's life. A paternity test eventually confirmed Elon is the father, but the relationship appears strained, to say the least.
Why these names actually matter
It’s easy to dismiss this as "eccentric billionaire stuff," but there’s a pattern here.
Elon is a vocal proponent of pronatalism. He genuinely believes that if the "smartest" people don't have more children, civilization will collapse. This isn't just a personal choice; it's a demographic strategy.
When you look at the names—Archangel, Techno, Seldon, Romulus—they are almost exclusively rooted in technology, science fiction, and Roman history. He isn't naming kids to fit in at the playground; he's naming them as if they are characters in a multi-generational epic about the survival of the human race.
A quick summary of the sons (2026 update):
- Nevada Alexander: (Deceased 2002)
- Griffin: (Twin, born 2004)
- Kai, Saxon, Damian: (Triplets, born 2006)
- X Æ A-Xii: (Born 2020)
- Strider: (Born 2021)
- Techno Mechanicus (Tau): (Born 2022)
- Romulus: (Born 2024)
- Seldon Lycurgus: (Born late 2024/early 2025)
Actionable insights for following the story
If you're trying to stay up to date on the Musk family dynamics without losing your mind, keep these three things in mind:
- Watch the legal filings, not the tweets: Most of the "secret" children were only discovered through court documents or name-change petitions. If there's a 15th child, we probably won't hear about it on a livestream first.
- Follow the mothers: Justine Wilson, Grimes, Shivon Zilis, and Ashley St. Clair have very different public approaches. Grimes often uses aesthetic "clues" in her art, while Zilis is more straightforward about the "futurist" naming conventions.
- Understand the "Foundation" influence: If you want to guess the next name, read Asimov. Elon is obsessed with the idea of a "Galactic Empire," and his naming conventions are increasingly leaning into that specific brand of sci-fi.
The saga of elon musks sons name isn't over. With a $35 million compound in Austin, Texas, designed to house his children and their mothers, the billionaire is literally building a dynasty. Whether these children will grow up to embrace their father's vision or, like Vivian, choose a completely different path, remains the biggest unanswered question in the Musk empire.
Next Steps for Readers
To better understand the motivations behind these unique names, you should research the Pronatalist Movement and its influence on Silicon Valley tech leaders. Additionally, checking the latest court records in Travis County, Texas, is the most reliable way to verify any new additions to the Musk family tree as they occur.