Elon Musk's 18-year-old daughter has legally changed her name to disassociate herself from her billionaire father, according to legal filings that emerged on Monday. In a petition for a name change and a new birth certificate, she stated: 'I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.'
The documents, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica in April, also show that she changed her gender recognition from male to female after turning 18, the age of consent in California. Her new name was redacted in the online filing.
Her mother, Justine Wilson, who was married to Musk from 2000 to 2008, expressed pride in her daughter on Twitter. Musk and Wilson have five children together; Musk also has two children with singer Grimes.
Representatives for Musk's daughter could not be reached for comment. The reason for the rift between father and daughter remains unclear. Musk, the world's richest man, is currently pursuing a $44 billion takeover of Twitter.
In a statement to the Daily Beast, Musk criticised media outlets for publishing the story, saying: 'She does not want to be a public figure. I think it is important to defend her right to privacy. Please don’t out someone against their will – it’s not right.' A hearing to finalise the name change is scheduled for later this month.
