Names matter. Especially when you've spent your whole life under the shadow of a father who happens to be the richest man on the planet. For Vivian Jenna Wilson, changing her name wasn't just a legal checkbox. It was a statement. By dropping "Musk" and adopting "Wilson," she didn't just walk away from a billionaire; she walked toward her mother.
If you're asking who is Vivian Jenna Wilson's mom, the answer is Justine Wilson. But honestly, she’s so much more than just an "ex-wife." She’s a Canadian author, a black belt in Taekwondo, and the woman who famously called herself a "starter wife" in a viral 2010 essay that still haunts the corners of the internet today.
The Queen's University era
It all started in Ontario. Justine, then Jennifer Justine Wilson, was a 18-year-old student at Queen’s University. She was into the "poetic and rebellious" vibe. Then along comes Elon Musk. He wasn't the "Alpha" titan of industry yet; he was just a clean-cut guy with a South African accent who wouldn't take no for an answer.
Their first date? Ice cream. She actually blew him off to stay in her dorm and study, but he showed up anyway with two melting chocolate cones. Persistence is kinda his thing, I guess. They dated, drifted apart while she taught English in Japan, and eventually reconnected. By the time they married in 2000, he’d already made his first millions from Zip2.
A marriage of "Alphas" and "Employees"
The wedding was the first red flag. As they danced, Elon allegedly whispered in her ear, "I am the alpha in this relationship." At the time, she shrugged it off. You've probably been there—thinking a partner's quirks are just confidence when they're actually a blueprint for the future.
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The marriage was high-stakes. They lived in a 6,000-square-foot Bel Air mansion with a staff of five. But behind the scenes, things were messy. Justine wrote about how he constantly critiqued her, telling her she "read too much" and pressuring her to dye her hair a specific shade of "platinum blonde."
"I am your wife," she’d tell him during their fights, "not your employee."
"If you were my employee," he’d retort, "I would fire you."
Basically, she felt like she was disappearing. By the time they had their five kids—twins Griffin and Vivian in 2004, and triplets Damian, Kai, and Saxon in 2006—the "void" at the core of the relationship was massive. They had tragically lost their first son, Nevada, to SIDS in 2002, a trauma that Justine said Elon refused to talk about.
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Why Vivian chose "Wilson"
When Vivian Jenna Wilson came out as transgender in 2020, the family dynamic hit a breaking point. While her father publicly blamed "woke" culture and claimed his daughter was "dead" to him, Justine was the polar opposite.
Honestly, the contrast is wild. Vivian told Teen Vogue in 2025 that when she came out to her mom, Justine "pretended to be slightly surprised for 30 seconds" and then just said, "Yeah, honey. Okay." No drama. No philosophical debates. Just acceptance.
Vivian actually credits her mom’s career as a supernatural romance author for her own personality. She calls her quirks "Vivian-isms" and says she got her "cringe and chronically online" energy from Justine. When Vivian legally changed her name in 2022, she didn't just want to distance herself from Elon; she wanted to honor the parent who actually saw her.
Justine Wilson: More than a headline
It’s easy to get lost in the Musk of it all, but Justine has her own lane. She’s a published writer with several books under her belt, including:
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- BloodAngel (2005): A contemporary fantasy novel that mixes supernatural elements with a dark, urban vibe.
- Uninvited (2007): A YA thriller about a girl whose life is upended by a mysterious "gift."
- Lord of Bones (2008): The sequel to her debut, continuing her foray into "dark urban fantasy."
She was one of the first authors to use Pinterest as a world-building tool. She’s also a TEDx speaker, often talking about the power of storytelling and "seeing in the dark."
The status of their relationship today
Justine and Elon divorced in 2008. It was a "protracted" and "messy" battle that played out in the media. Today, they are totally estranged. While Elon moved on to several other high-profile relationships and more children, Justine has mostly stayed out of the spotlight, focusing on her writing and her kids.
She remains a Canadian citizen, a fact that Vivian has mentioned increased her own sense of "Canadian patriotism." For Vivian, the choice was clear: the father who berated her for being "queer" or the mother who helped her pick out her name and encouraged her to be herself.
What you should take away
Understanding who Justine Wilson is explains a lot about why Vivian is so vocal today. She didn't grow up in a vacuum; she grew up with a mother who fought for her own identity in a marriage that tried to erase it.
If you’re following this family saga, the best way to stay informed is to:
- Read Justine’s original 2010 Marie Claire essay to understand the family's "origin story."
- Follow Vivian’s own words on Threads (she goes by @vivllainous), as she’s become the primary source for her own life.
- Support Justine’s work as an author if you want to see the creative roots Vivian often references.