Griffin Musk is one of the elder children of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, born into a world of immense wealth, technological innovation, and intense public scrutiny. As the son of the Tesla and SpaceX CEO and his first wife, Canadian author Justine Wilson, Griffin, along with his twin sibling, represents the more private side of the sprawling and complex Musk family tree. While his father commands global headlines, Griffin has largely remained outside of the spotlight, navigating a life deliberately shielded from the media glare that follows his family’s every move.
Griffin Musk’s entry into the world was marked by both hope and preceding tragedy. His story is deeply intertwined with his parents' journey to build a family after a devastating loss.
Birth Through IVF and a Poignant Beginning
Griffin Musk was born on April 15, 2004, in Southern California. He is a twin, born alongside Vivian Jenna Wilson (who was assigned male at birth and formerly known as Xavier Musk). Their birth came two years after their parents, Elon Musk and Justine Wilson, endured the heartbreaking loss of their firstborn son, Nevada Alexander Musk, who passed away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) at just 10 weeks old in 2002.
In a 2010 article for Marie Claire, Justine Wilson wrote about the profound grief that followed Nevada's death. She described Elon’s desire to move forward quickly: "Elon made it clear that he did not want to talk about Nevada's death... I just wanted to hold my baby. But he was grieving in his own way." This experience led them to pursue in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to expand their family. The successful IVF treatment resulted in the birth of Griffin and his twin, bringing renewed joy to the family.
A Large and Unconventional Family
Griffin is part of a large and blended family. Following his and Vivian's birth, his parents used IVF again, and in 2006, Justine gave birth to triplets: Kai, Saxon, and Damian Musk. This made Griffin one of five children from Elon Musk's first marriage. His parents divorced in 2008 after eight years of marriage but continued to share custody of their five children.
The Musk family has only continued to grow. Griffin has several younger half-siblings from his father's subsequent relationships:
- X Æ A-Xii (originally X Æ A-12): Born in May 2020 to Elon Musk and musician Grimes (Claire Boucher).
- Exa Dark Sideræl Musk: Nicknamed "Y," born in December 2021 via surrogate to Musk and Grimes.
- Techno Mechanicus: Nicknamed "Tau," his existence was revealed in Walter Isaacson's 2023 biography of Elon Musk. He is the third child of Musk and Grimes.
- Twins with Shivon Zilis: In 2021, Musk also welcomed twins with Shivon Zilis, a top executive at his company Neuralink.
This extensive family network places Griffin among the eldest of more than ten Musk children, raised in a highly unconventional environment shaped by his father's relentless ambition and public life.
## Navigating a Life of Privacy Amidst Public ScrutinyDespite being the son of one of the world's most famous individuals, very little is known about Griffin Musk's personal life, personality, or interests. This is a deliberate outcome of his parents' efforts to provide their older children with a semblance of normalcy.
Shielded from the Spotlight
Unlike his younger half-sibling X, who has made occasional public appearances with his father, Griffin and his full siblings have been kept almost entirely out of the public eye. Elon Musk and Justine Wilson made a concerted effort to protect their sons' privacy during their upbringing. Public photographs of Griffin are exceptionally rare, and he does not maintain any known public social media profiles.
This privacy is a stark contrast to the life of his father, who uses his platform on X (formerly Twitter) to communicate with over 100 million followers. The decision to keep the children private likely stems from security concerns and a desire to allow them to form their own identities away from the long shadow of the "Musk" name.
Education at an Experimental School
Griffin's education was as unique as his family background. Dissatisfied with traditional schooling, Elon Musk founded his own non-profit school in 2014 called Ad Astra (Latin for "to the stars"). Located on the SpaceX campus in Hawthorne, California, the school was created for his own children and a select few others, including the children of SpaceX employees.
The curriculum at Ad Astra was highly unconventional. According to reports, the school eschewed traditional grade levels and focused on problem-solving, critical thinking, and ethics. Subjects like foreign languages and music were de-emphasized in favor of applied science, engineering, and coding. In an interview, Musk explained his philosophy for the school: "It's important to teach problem-solving, or teach to the problem and not the tools. Let's say you're trying to teach people about how engines work. A more traditional approach would be to say, 'we're going to teach all about screwdrivers and wrenches.' A better way would be like, 'here's the engine, let's take it apart.'"
Griffin and his brothers were among the primary students of this educational experiment, an upbringing that undoubtedly shaped their worldview and intellectual interests.
## The Musk Family DynamicsThe internal dynamics of the Musk family are complex, shaped by divorce, immense fame, and strong personalities. Griffin's relationship with his parents has been defined by these powerful forces.
Relationship with Elon Musk
The specifics of Griffin’s personal relationship with his father are private. However, public records and biographies provide some insight into the broader family environment. The 2023 biography by Walter Isaacson touched upon Elon Musk’s struggles to connect with some of his older children, particularly in the wake of his daughter Vivian's decision to change her name and legally sever ties with him.
In 2022, Vivian Jenna Wilson filed a petition not only to change her name to reflect her gender identity but also stated, "I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form." This public rift offered a rare and painful glimpse into the family's private struggles. It is unknown how this has affected Griffin's relationship with his father, but it underscores the unique pressures they face.
Elon Musk has publicly expressed his love for his children but also acknowledged the challenges of fatherhood amid his demanding work schedule. He has often been described as an intense but sometimes distant father, deeply invested in their education but not always present for their day-to-day lives.
The Influence of Justine Wilson
Griffin’s mother, Justine Wilson, has provided a more candid perspective on their family life. After the divorce, she and Elon Musk shared custody of their five sons. In her Marie Claire essay, she described their post-divorce life as a parallel to her former life, living in the same affluent Bel-Air neighborhood. She has remained a constant and grounding presence in her sons' lives, focused on their emotional well-being away from the chaos of their father's world.
## Griffin Musk TodayNow a young adult, Griffin Musk continues to maintain his private status, offering no public clues about his future ambitions or current pursuits.
Current Activities and Future Path
As of 2024, Griffin Musk is 20 years old. There is no public information regarding his university studies, career aspirations, or personal interests. He has successfully avoided the path of a public figure or socialite, a choice that speaks to a desire for an independent and private life. Whether he will one day play a role in his father's vast business empire or forge his own path entirely remains a private matter.
Net Worth and Inheritance
A common point of curiosity is Griffin Musk's net worth. As the child of the world's wealthiest person, he is a potential heir to a multi-billion-dollar fortune. However, his personal net worth is not public knowledge. Typically, children of ultra-high-net-worth individuals have trust funds set up for them. The full extent of his potential inheritance will depend on his father's estate planning, which includes philanthropic pledges like The Giving Pledge, a commitment to give away the majority of one's wealth.
In the end, Griffin Musk represents a fascinating paradox: a name known to millions, yet a person known by almost no one. He was born into a dynasty of technological disruption and relentless ambition but has so far chosen a life of quiet normalcy. As he continues into adulthood, he carries the weight and privilege of the Musk legacy, with the freedom to decide whether he will one day step into the spotlight or continue to cherish the privacy he has known his entire life.
