Elon Musk, the renowned entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, has quietly welcomed his 12th child into the world. The 52-year-old billionaire confirmed the news earlier this year, revealing that the new addition to his family is with Shivon Zilis, the director of special projects at Neuralink Corp., one of Musk’s ambitious tech ventures.
Musk addressed the speculation surrounding the birth in a statement to Page Six, clarifying, “As for ‘secretly fathered,’ that is also false. All our friends and family know.” He further explained, “Failure to issue a press release, which would be bizarre, does not mean ‘secret.’”
The gender and name of Musk’s newest child remain undisclosed, maintaining the level of privacy that Musk and his partners strive for when it comes to their children. This approach to privacy is consistent with Musk’s previous actions regarding his family life.
In September 2023, Grimes, the mother of three of Musk’s children, took to social media to request privacy for their family. She addressed recent headlines about their co-parenting arrangement and the surprise news of their third child’s birth, a son named Techno Mechanicus, affectionately nicknamed “Tau.” Grimes emphasized that the situation was not Zilis’ fault and asked fans not to direct their anger towards her. “We respect each other a lot and we’re excited to become friends and have the kids grow up together,” she added.
Musk’s journey into fatherhood began with his first wife, Justine Wilson. The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Nevada Alexander, in 2002. Tragically, Nevada passed away at just 10 weeks old due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The couple later had twins, Vivian Jenna and Griffin, through IVF in 2004, followed by triplets Kai, Saxon, and Damian in 2006.
In May 2020, Musk and Grimes celebrated the birth of their first child together, X Æ A-Xii. Then, in a surprising turn, Musk secretly welcomed twins Strider and Azure with Zilis in November 2021. A month later, Grimes revealed in a Vanity Fair interview that she had welcomed a baby girl with Musk via surrogate in December 2021, named Exa Dark Sideræl.
The revelation of Musk’s most recent addition to his family came through Walter Isaacson’s 2023 biography, which disclosed the birth of Musk’s third child with Grimes, a son named Techno Mechanicus. This news was followed by the confirmation of Musk’s third child with Zilis, bringing his total number of children to 12.
The relationship between Musk and Zilis, who holds a prominent position at Neuralink, has attracted attention, but both have maintained a low profile regarding their personal lives. This recent news continues their trend of keeping family matters relatively private, despite Musk’s highly publicized professional life.
Musk has consistently been vocal about the declining birth rates, viewing it as a significant threat. In a previous interview, when questioned about his desired number of children, the Tesla owner remarked, “As many as I can spend time with and be a good father to.” He has reportedly also encouraged his friends to have more children.
Musk’s large family includes children from different relationships. He has three children with musician Grimes, including Exa Dark Sideræl, nicknamed Y, Techno Mechanicus, and X Æ A-Xii. He also has five children with his former wife, author Justine Wilson, including twins Griffin and Vivian, and triplets Kai, Saxon, and Damian.
The news of Musk’s growing family follows a pattern of significant personal milestones for the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who is known for his numerous ventures and substantial public profile. Despite his busy career, Musk has managed to expand his family, with this latest addition being the twelfth child.
The announcement of the third child with Zilis arrived just days after a Wall Street Journal report suggested that Musk had engaged in inappropriate relationships with female staff at SpaceX. A former employee of SpaceX stated that Musk often requested that she have children with him. Following her refusal and being turned down for a salary increase, she left the company with a substantial severance package.
Public records show that Musk, who already has twins with Zilis, requested a court order to change the kids’ last names to match his own, while also incorporating their mother’s last name into their middle names. This move reflects Musk’s desire to maintain a cohesive family identity despite the complexities of his personal life.
As Musk continues to make headlines for his professional achievements and personal life, the news of his 12th child with Zilis adds another chapter to the story of one of the world’s most influential and enigmatic figures.
Source: Page Six, Bloomberg, Vanity Fair, Wall Street Journal
