Public records can be a bit of a trip, especially when they belong to the children of the world's most scrutinized billionaires. You’ve probably seen the headlines. Vivian Jenna Wilson—the daughter of tech mogul Elon Musk—made waves when she officially severed ties with her father. But the curiosity usually lands on one specific detail: what was the Vivian Musk original name before the legal filings and the public fallout?
It’s a story about more than just a name. It’s about a teenager growing up in the shadow of a SpaceX rocket and deciding she wanted a completely different life.
The Identity Behind Vivian Musk Original Name
Before she was Vivian Jenna Wilson, she was known as Xavier Alexander Musk.
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Born in April 2004, she entered the world as one of the twin sons of Elon Musk and his first wife, Justine Wilson. Growing up in that environment must have been intense. You’re part of a family that is essentially the blueprint for modern tech royalty. But by the time she hit 18, the age of legal autonomy in California, Vivian decided she was done with the "Musk" brand.
Honestly, the name change wasn't just a preference. It was a statement.
She didn’t just swap out a first name. She dropped the Musk surname entirely. In her court petition filed at the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica, she was pretty blunt about it. She stated that her reason for the change was not just her gender identity, but also the fact that she "no longer live[s] with or wish[es] to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form."
That is about as clear as it gets.
Why the Transition Caught the World’s Attention
The transition from the Vivian Musk original name to Vivian Jenna Wilson became a focal point for a few reasons. First, there’s the sheer scale of her father’s reach. When the man who owns X (formerly Twitter) and runs Tesla has a public rift with his child, people are going to look.
But there’s also the political backdrop.
Elon Musk hasn't exactly been quiet about his views on "woke culture" or gender-affirming care. He’s famously tweeted that pronouns are an "esthetic nightmare." In a 2024 interview with Jordan Peterson, Musk went as far as to say he felt "tricked" into signing documents for Vivian’s medical transition when she was younger. He even used her deadname during that interview, claiming that his "son" was essentially "dead" to him, killed by what he calls the "woke mind virus."
Vivian didn't take that lying down.
In a rare move for someone who generally avoids the spotlight, she hit back in an interview with NBC News. She described her father as cold, narcissistic, and frequently absent during her childhood. To her, the name change was the final step in a years-long process of distancing herself from a man she didn't recognize as a supportive parent.
A Breakdown of the Wilson Family Roots
By choosing the name Wilson, Vivian went back to her maternal roots. Her mother, Justine Wilson, is a successful Canadian author who was married to Elon from 2000 to 2008.
- The Mother’s Support: Justine has been vocal about her pride in Vivian. After the legal name change went through, Justine shared a touching moment on social media where she recalled Vivian telling her, "I had a weird childhood," and Justine responding with how proud she was of the person her daughter had become.
- The Twin Factor: Vivian has a twin brother, Griffin. While Griffin has stayed largely out of the press, the contrast between the twins' public profiles is sharp.
- The Financial Split: Despite being the daughter of one of the richest men in history, Vivian has claimed she is financially independent. She’s moved on. She’s living a life in Los Angeles (and reportedly spent time studying in Tokyo recently) that is entirely separate from the Tesla empire.
The Legal Process of Changing the Xavier Alexander Name
Changing a name in California isn't just about filling out a form and hoping for the best. Since she did it right after turning 18, she didn't need her father's permission—which, given their relationship, was probably the point.
The judge, Rafael Ongkeko, signed off on the petition in June 2022. There were no objections. Usually, these things are quiet, but because of the "Musk" attached to the original filing, it became global news within hours.
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Vivian’s choice of Jenna as a middle name and Wilson as her surname served as a bridge to her mother's family and a wall against her father's. It was a literal rebranding of her existence.
What We Can Learn From the Vivian-Elon Dynamic
This isn't just celebrity gossip. It’s a case study in the modern "generation gap" on steroids. You have a father who views himself as a defender of traditional Western values and a daughter who identifies as a leftist and a trans woman.
They aren't just speaking different languages; they’re living in different realities.
Vivian has criticized the biography of her father written by Walter Isaacson, calling it defamatory and claiming Isaacson never even bothered to interview her before painting her as a "radical" who was "blinded by ideology." This highlights a massive issue in how we talk about the children of public figures: they are often treated as characters in their parents' stories rather than people with their own agency.
Practical Realities of High-Profile Estrangement
If you're looking at this and wondering how someone walks away from billions, it's worth noting that Vivian’s story is a reminder that identity often carries more weight than inheritance for Gen Z.
- Legal Autonomy: Turning 18 is the "golden ticket" for many individuals in similar situations. It allows for the legal "death" of an old identity without parental interference.
- Digital Footprints: Even though she changed her name, the Vivian Musk original name (Xavier) will always be linked to her in search engines. That’s a burden she’s had to manage through her own social media presence on platforms like Threads and TikTok.
- Privacy vs. Advocacy: Vivian has fluctuated between wanting total privacy and feeling "obligated" to speak up for trans rights, especially as her father becomes more politically active.
Moving Forward Without the Musk Label
Today, Vivian Jenna Wilson is her own person. She’s a model, a student, and a voice for a specific subset of the LGBTQ+ community that feels targeted by the very platforms her father owns.
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She has made it clear that she doesn't want to be a "public figure" in the way we usually think of it. She isn't looking for a reality show. She's looking for a life where her name doesn't trigger a stock market fluctuation or a political debate.
If you’re following this story, the best way to respect her journey is to use her current name. While the Vivian Musk original name is a part of the public record, it's a chapter she has very clearly closed.
To dig deeper into how public figures navigate family law and privacy, you might want to look into the California "Shield Laws" for court records or explore the history of the Wilson family’s literary contributions. Understanding the background of her mother, Justine, provides a lot more context for why Vivian chose the path she did.
Next Steps for Readers
- Review Court Accessibility: If you are interested in the legalities, research the California Superior Court's process for name and gender markers to see how privacy is handled for non-celebrities.
- Follow Primary Sources: For those interested in her advocacy, Vivian occasionally posts on platforms like Threads and TikTok under her own handles rather than through news intermediaries.
- Explore Biographies: Compare the Walter Isaacson biography Elon Musk with Vivian’s own rebuttals to see how narrative framing works in real-time.