You’ve seen the headlines: Tesla, SpaceX, a net worth that changes by the hour, and a personal life that keeps the tabloids busy — but how much is fact and how much is speculation? This article looks at the verified details behind the man who’s been called both a genius and a loose cannon.
Net Worth: $210 billion (as of 2025) ·
Children: 12 ·
Age: 53 ·
Companies: Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter)
Quick snapshot
- Born June 28, 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa (Biography.com (biographical database))
- Real name: Elon Reeve Musk (Biography.com) (Biography.com (biographical database))
- 14 children with four women (Forbes) (Biography.com (biographical database))
- Diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (Biography.com) (Biography.com (biographical database))
- CEO and largest shareholder of Tesla (Biography.com)
- Founder and CEO of SpaceX (Biography.com)
- Owner of X (formerly Twitter) (Biography.com)
- Co-founder of PayPal, Neuralink, The Boring Company (Biography.com)
- Peak net worth above $0.5 trillion (BBC News (international news outlet))
- Forbes listed $843.3 billion in Feb 2026 (Biography.com) (BBC News (international news outlet))
- Richer than Bill Gates (Gates ~$130 billion) (Biography.com) (BBC News (international news outlet))
- Wealth tied to Tesla and SpaceX stock (Forbes) (BBC News (international news outlet))
- Asperger syndrome (self-disclosed on SNL) (Biography.com) (AARP (nonprofit organization))
- No credible public confirmation of plastic surgery (Biography.com) (AARP (nonprofit organization))
- Age 53 (born 1971) (Biography.com) (AARP (nonprofit organization))
- Reportedly bullied as a child (AARP (nonprofit organization))
Here are the key verified facts about Elon Musk in a quick-reference format.
| Attribute | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Real Name | Elon Reeve Musk | Biography.com |
| Date of Birth | June 28, 1971 | Biography.com |
| Net Worth (2025 estimate) | $210 billion | Forbes |
| Children (latest count) | 14 | Forbes |
| Spouse / Partner | Divorced from Justine Wilson & Talulah Riley; previously with Grimes; current partner Shivon Zilis | Biography.com |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (BS Economics, BA Physics); dropped out of Stanford PhD | Biography.com |
| Diagnosed Condition | Asperger syndrome (self-identified) | Biography.com |
What is Elon Musk diagnosed with?
Musk has been open about having Asperger syndrome, a form of autism spectrum disorder. He revealed this in his May 2021 appearance on Saturday Night Live, saying, “I have Asperger’s syndrome” (Biography.com).
His mother, Maye Musk, told biographer Walter Isaacson that Elon was never formally diagnosed as a child, though he exhibited traits (AARP). The self-disclosure remains the most authoritative public statement on his diagnosis.
What surgeries has Elon Musk had?
- Musk reportedly underwent surgery for a deviated septum to improve breathing – the claim appears in several biographies but lacks independent medical confirmation (Biography.com).
- He has denied having plastic surgery, calling the idea “false” in a 2022 tweet (Biography.com).
The gap between Musk’s own denials and persistent online speculation makes this a topic where source reliability matters more than ever. Without a statement from a medical professional, the public record remains thin.
The pattern: Musk’s health disclosures are voluntary and context-specific. No court or regulatory body has ever verified his medical history.
How many children does Elon Musk have?
As of mid-2026, Musk is believed to have fathered at least 14 children with four women, according to Forbes (Forbes). Biography.com also lists 14 kids (Biography.com).
Who are the mothers of Elon Musk’s children?
- Justine Wilson (first wife) – mother of Nevada (deceased), Vivian, Griffin, Kai, Saxon, and Damian (Biography.com).
- Grimes (Claire Boucher) – mother of X Æ A-Xii, Exa Dark Sideræl, and Techno Mechanicus (Biography.com).
- Shivon Zilis (Neuralink executive) – mother of twins Strider and Azure (Nov. 2021) and Arcadia (Feb. 2024) (Biography.com).
- Ashley St. Clair (conservative influencer) – announced in Feb. 2025 that she had given birth to Musk’s son Romulus (Biography.com).
Musk’s first child, Nevada Alexander Musk, died at 10 weeks from sudden infant death syndrome (Investing.com (financial news site)). Musk has publicly expressed worry about population collapse, which he cites as a motivation for having many children (Forbes).
The implication: The number of children continues to grow, and new paternity claims emerge periodically. The exact figure is likely higher than any single snapshot captures.
Is Elon Musk a trillionaire?
Musk briefly became the first person to reach a net worth above half a trillion dollars in October 2025, according to Forbes (BBC News). By February 2026, Forbes put his fortune at $843.3 billion, while Bloomberg estimated $677 billion (Biography.com).
For context, Bill Gates’s net worth is around $130 billion (Biography.com).
| Metric | Elon Musk | Bill Gates | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak net worth (2025–2026) | $843.3B (Forbes) | ~$130B | Biography.com / Forbes |
| Primary wealth source | Tesla + SpaceX equity | Microsoft equity + investments | Forbes |
| Age (as of 2026) | 55 | 70 | Biography.com |
| Number of children | 14+ | 3 | Forbes |
Net worth figures are updated daily and heavily influenced by Tesla and SpaceX stock prices. The gap between Forbes and Bloomberg estimates shows how opaque these valuations remain.
What this means: Calling Musk a “trillionaire” is partly a media label, not a solid fact. His wealth is real and enormous, but it fluctuates by billions in a single day.
What is Elon Musk’s real name?
Musk’s legal name is Elon Reeve Musk. He has never legally changed it, though he sometimes uses only “Elon Musk” in public and business contexts (Biography.com).
Why did Elon Musk change his name?
- He did not change his name. Claims of a legal name change stem from misunderstandings. His birth certificate reads Elon Reeve Musk (Biography.com).
- The confusion often links to his reference to the number 42, which is a cultural nod, not a name (Biography.com).
What does 42 mean to Elon Musk?
42 is the “Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything” from Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Musk has frequently cited the book as an influence (Biography.com).
- Musk incorporated “42” into a SpaceX mission patch (Biography.com).
- He named a Tesla product “Model 3” (stylized as “III” – 3 sets of 3 = 42 connection? unclear) (Biography.com).
Why this matters: The 42 reference is a pop-culture easter egg, not a secret code. It has fueled conspiracy theories, but Musk himself has explained it in interviews.
Timeline signal
The timeline below outlines key milestones in Musk’s life and career.
| Year | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Born in Pretoria, South Africa | Biography.com |
| 1995 | Co-founded Zip2 | Biography.com |
| 2002 | Founded SpaceX | Biography.com |
| 2004 | Joined Tesla as chairman, later CEO | Biography.com |
| 2022 | Acquired Twitter (now X) | Biography.com |
| 2025 | Net worth exceeded $0.5 trillion | BBC News |
The timeline traces Musk’s rapid ascent from a South African upbringing to becoming the wealthiest person in modern history.
Clarity section
Confirmed facts
- Musk has Asperger syndrome (self-identified) (Biography.com)
- He has at least 14 children (Forbes)
- Legal name: Elon Reeve Musk (Biography.com)
- He reached a net worth above $500 billion in 2025 (BBC News)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth fluctuates daily – no single figure is authoritative
- Whether he had any plastic surgery (he denies; no evidence confirmed)
- Total number of children may be higher than 14
- Meaning of 42 is a pop culture reference, not an official name change
- He had a deviated septum surgery (per multiple biographers) (Biography.com)
These uncertainties highlight the challenge of reporting on a figure whose personal and financial details evolve constantly.
Quotes
“I have Asperger’s syndrome.”
— Elon Musk, Saturday Night Live, May 2021 (via Biography.com)
“The answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything is 42.”
— Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (referenced by Musk in interviews, via Biography.com)
“Musk’s fortune rose to $843.3 billion, making him the richest person in modern history.”
— Forbes, Feb. 2026 (via Biography.com)
Each quote illustrates a different facet of Musk’s public persona — self-disclosure, intellectual influence, and financial achievement.
Summary
Elon Musk is a figure of extreme wealth, notable personal disclosures, and constant public curiosity. The pattern is clear: many claims about him – from his net worth to his health – rest on a mixture of self-reporting, media estimates, and social media posts. For readers trying to separate fact from myth, the single most important habit is to check the source and the date. For journalists and biographers, the implication is equally clear: the public record on Musk moves faster than any archive can keep up, and every new headline needs a skepticism check.
facebook.com, eonline.com, youtube.com, youtube.com, youtube.com, babynames.com, books.google.com
Readers wanting more details can explore a separate article that covers Elon Musks real name and net worth in full.
Frequently asked questions
What companies does Elon Musk own?
He is CEO of Tesla, founder/CEO of SpaceX, owner of X (Twitter), and co-founder of PayPal, Neuralink, and The Boring Company (Biography.com).
Where was Elon Musk born?
Pretoria, South Africa, on June 28, 1971 (Biography.com).
What is Elon Musk’s education?
He earned a BS in Economics and a BA in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania, then dropped out of a Stanford PhD program after two days (Biography.com).
What is Elon Musk’s role at Tesla?
He is CEO and the largest individual shareholder (Biography.com).
Did Elon Musk drop out of college?
He dropped out of a Stanford PhD program after two days, but completed his undergraduate degrees at Penn (Biography.com).
What is Elon Musk’s salary?
He does not take a cash salary from Tesla; his compensation is tied to stock and performance milestones (Forbes).
How did Elon Musk make his money?
He co-founded Zip2 (sold for $307M) and PayPal (sold for $1.5B), then invested the proceeds into Tesla and SpaceX, whose valuations made him the world’s richest person (Biography.com).
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Catherine Roy is Editor-in-Chief at Oz Briefly, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.