You’ve seen him. The small, blonde-haired toddler perched on the shoulders of the world's richest man during a high-stakes rocket launch or a political rally. He’s the one crawling under the Resolute Desk while world leaders talk about "efficiency" and "global policy."
So, who is the little boy with Elon Musk?
His name is X Æ A-Xii, though his parents and the public usually just call him "X" or "Lil X." Born in May 2020, he is the first child Musk shared with the Canadian musician Grimes (Claire Boucher). If you think the name looks like a typo, you aren't alone. It actually caused a legal headache in California because state law only allows the 26 letters of the English alphabet on birth certificates. They eventually swapped the "12" for Roman numerals (XII) to make it official.
🔗 Read more: Does Emmanuel Macron Have Children? The Real Story of the French President’s Family Life
Why is he everywhere?
Unlike many of Musk’s other 13 children, X has become a constant fixture in his father’s professional life. Musk has referred to the boy as his "protégé." It's not just for the cameras, either. Grimes has mentioned that the kid literally shadows engineering meetings and can identify obscure rocket parts like grid fins.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a surreal sight. One day he's at a SpaceX presentation in Starbase, Texas, and the next, he’s in the Oval Office. In February 2025, X made headlines when he accompanied Musk to a meeting with Donald Trump. The internet went wild after videos surfaced of the four-year-old being, well, a four-year-old—hiding behind desks and even reportedly asking to go to the bathroom in the middle of a press conference.
💡 You might also like: Judge Dana and Keith Cutler: What Most People Get Wrong About TV’s Favorite Legal Couple
The siblings you might have missed
While X is the most visible, the "Musk family tree" is sprawling and, frankly, a bit hard to keep track of. As of early 2026, Elon Musk has 14 children with four different women.
- With Justine Wilson: His oldest children (twins and triplets) are mostly out of the spotlight now.
- With Grimes: Beyond X, there is a daughter named Exa Dark Sideræl (nicknamed Y) and a son named Techno Mechanicus (Tau).
- With Shivon Zilis: This is where it gets busy. Musk has four children with the Neuralink executive. Just this January 2026, photos of his son Strider Sekhar and daughter Comet Azure started trending. They also have a daughter, Arcadia, and a younger son, Seldon Lycurgus.
- With Ashley St. Clair: Most recently, Musk confirmed he is the father of a son named Romulus, born in late 2024.
The controversy behind the spotlight
Not everyone is a fan of X being in the public eye. Grimes has expressed frustration on social media about the boy's visibility. After the 2025 White House visit, she posted that she hadn't been informed he would be there and stated, "He should not be in public like this." It highlights the messy reality of co-parenting when one parent is a billionaire who views his son as a future leader of a multi-planetary civilization.
📖 Related: The Billy Bob Tattoo: What Angelina Jolie Taught Us About Inking Your Ex
Basically, Musk is a "pronatalist." He genuinely believes the world is facing a population collapse and that "high IQ" individuals have a duty to have as many kids as possible. By bringing X to these events, he’s not just being a "dad at work"—he’s making a statement about his vision for the future.
What’s next for Lil X?
If you’re wondering what a kid like that does for fun, it’s probably not just playing with LEGOs. He’s growing up at the intersection of AI, space travel, and global politics. Whether he'll follow in his father’s footsteps or eventually retreat from the spotlight like his older half-siblings remains to be seen.
Actionable Insights for the Curious:
- Check the legalities: If you're ever naming a child in California, remember the "26 letters" rule. Avoid symbols or numbers unless you want a court battle.
- Follow the "DOGE" updates: Since Musk's role in government efficiency is often where X appears, watching these public briefings is your best bet to see the duo in action.
- Privacy matters: While Musk is open about his kids, many of them have opted for total privacy. Respect the fact that "X" is the exception, not the rule, for the Musk clan.
The next time you see a small kid in a "Make America Great Again" hat or a SpaceX onesie standing next to a stainless steel rocket, you won't have to guess. That's just X, the toddler who probably knows more about orbital mechanics than most college graduates.