He was just two months old when he showed up, bundled and blissful, in the arms of a family that carries one of the most recognizable names in music history.
Indigo Naess, born on August 15, 2017, is the son of photographer and entrepreneur Ross Naess and his wife Kimberly Ryan.
He is also the grandson of Diana Ross, the Motown legend who sold over 100 million records worldwide.
Most people find his name through a sweet Instagram photo or a celebrity family feature. But there is far more to Indigo’s story than a famous last name and a cute face.
Indigo Naess: Quick Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Indigo Naess |
| Date of Birth | August 15, 2017 |
| Age (2026) | 8 years old |
| Birthplace | United States of America |
| Nationality | American |
| Father | Ross Naess (born October 7, 1987) |
| Mother | Kimberly Ryan |
| Sibling | Leif Naess (born June 5, 2016) |
| Paternal Grandmother | Diana Ross |
| Paternal Grandfather | Arne Naess Jr. (December 8, 1937 – January 13, 2004) |
| Family Home | Malibu, California |
| Known For | Grandson of Diana Ross, son of Ross Naess |
Who Is Indigo Naess?
Indigo Naess is an 8-year-old boy growing up in Malibu, California. He is the younger of two sons born to Ross Naess and Kimberly Ryan.
His father, Ross, is Diana Ross’s eldest son from her marriage to Norwegian shipping magnate and mountaineer Arne Naess Jr.
That family connection places Indigo at the center of a legacy stretching from Detroit’s Motown era all the way to present-day Hollywood.
He arrived in August 2017, just two months after his parents’ wedding ceremony in Santa Barbara. His older brother Leif had just turned one.
His grandmother Diana officiated the wedding. His grandfather Arne, who died in a rock-climbing accident near Cape Town, South Africa, in January 2004, never got to meet him. That is one of the quieter, more poignant threads running through Indigo’s family story.
Indigo is not a public figure in the traditional sense. He has no social media presence of his own, no acting credits, and no public career.
People search his name because his family is extraordinary, and because his father occasionally shares glimpses of his children online that remind the world just how tight-knit the Ross-Naess family truly is.
Ross Naess: The Father Who Puts Family First
From Greenwich to Los Angeles
Ross Naess was born on October 7, 1987, in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is the son of Diana Ross and Arne Naess Jr., a Norwegian businessman who built a shipping empire and was also a serious mountaineer.
Ross grew up moving between worlds, his mother’s glamorous entertainment career on one side and his father’s rugged, adventurous spirit on the other.
He carries both inheritances well. As an adult, Ross became a photographer, entrepreneur, and film producer. His production credits include Acid Girls (2014) and Diana Ross: When You Tell Me That You Love Me (1991).
He co-founded Warwick, a well-known bar and venue in Los Angeles. He also co-founded Like a Gentleman Barbershop and the Untapped Series, a music and food festival. H
His estimated net worth sits around $1 million, modest by the standards of his family but reflective of a man who built his own path.
The Father in the Photos
What Ross’s Instagram tells you more clearly than any biography is that fatherhood defines him now. Since Leif and Indigo arrived, his posts shifted from adventure photography to the kind of shots that make strangers stop scrolling.
He kneels between his boys. He wraps his arms around them. One caption, posted after Indigo arrived, read simply: “Two brothers, like me and my brother, close in age.”
That single line captures everything about how Ross sees his sons. He sees his own childhood in them.
His younger brother, Evan Ross, born August 26, 1988, became an actor and musician. He married singer Ashlee Simpson in August 2014.
Ross and Evan remain close, and their boys, Indigo and Leif alongside Evan’s children Jagger Snow Ross and Ziggy Blu Ross, form a cousin group that appears together at family events.
Kimberly Ryan: The Woman Raising Indigo at Home
Kimberly Ryan keeps a far lower public profile than her husband. She and Ross met in Los Angeles through a mutual friend. Their relationship developed slowly before they moved in together and started a family.
By June 2017, when they married at Rancho Dos Pueblos in Santa Barbara, California, they already had a one-year-old son in Leif and a baby on the way in Indigo.
The wedding itself was memorable. Diana Ross officiated the ceremony. Leif crawled around the altar during the vows, reportedly stealing every heart in attendance.
Harper’s Bazaar covered the event and described the ceremony as warm, relaxed, and full of genuine family spirit. Kimberly was seven months pregnant with Indigo at the time.
Kimberly shows up in family photos as a calm, clearly devoted presence. She and Ross appear to agree completely on one thing: their sons deserve a private, grounded childhood free of public spectacle. So far, they have delivered exactly that.
Indigo Naess and His Brother Leif: A Bond Built Early
Indigo and his older brother Leif are thirteen months apart. Leif was born on June 5, 2016. Indigo followed on August 15, 2017. They have grown up side by side through every stage of early childhood, from learning to walk to starting school.
When Indigo was first born, Ross posted a photo of Leif gazing at his newborn brother and wrote about the first day of a friendship that would last their entire lives.
That caption aged well. In every subsequent photo, the boys appear inseparable: matching outfits, shared grins, leaning into each other the way brothers do when they feel safe.
Ross has said publicly that watching Leif and Indigo together reminds him of his own close bond with Evan.
The parallel is real. Ross and Evan were born eleven months apart, grew up together, and built careers in overlapping industries. If the pattern holds, Leif and Indigo may one day be doing something similar.
Diana Ross: What It Really Means to Be Her Grandson
The Legend Behind the Name
Diana Ross was born on March 26, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan. She rose to fame as the lead vocalist of The Supremes, who became Motown Records’ most commercially successful group throughout the 1960s.
The group scored twelve number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. After leaving The Supremes in 1970, Diana built a massive solo career with hits including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “I’m Coming Out,” “Upside Down,” and “Endless Love.”
She has five children: Rhonda Ross Kendrick (with Berry Gordy), Tracee Ellis Ross and Chudney Ross (with first husband Robert Ellis Silberstein), and Ross Naess and Evan Olav Naess (with second husband Arne Naess Jr.).
She received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. She has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one of the rare performers to hold that distinction.
Indigo is one of eight grandchildren Diana currently has. The full list of her grandchildren as of 2026 includes:
- Raif-Henok Emmanuel Kendrick (Rhonda’s son, born 2009)
- Callaway Lane Ross-Faulkner (Chudney’s daughter)
- Bronx Mowgli Wentz (Ashlee Simpson’s son from Pete Wentz, stepgrandson)
- Jagger Snow Ross (Evan and Ashlee’s daughter, born 2015)
- Leif Naess (Ross and Kimberly’s son, born 2016)
- Indigo Naess (Ross and Kimberly’s son, born 2017)
- Everlee Ernestine Ross-Faulkner (Chudney’s daughter, born 2019)
- Ziggy Blu Ross (Evan and Ashlee’s son, born 2020)
Diana as Grandmother
In a 2016 interview with the Bay Area Reporter, Diana spoke candidly about what being a grandmother means to her. She goes to the park with her grandchildren.
She reads them books. When she is traveling, she texts and FaceTimes to stay connected. “I love being Mom and Grandma and doing all the grandma things,” she said.
At the 2017 American Music Awards, where she received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Tracee Ellis Ross hosted the show, Diana brought an extended family contingent to Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Indigo, just a few months old at the time, was there. The family photo from that evening captured three generations of the Ross-Naess family in one frame, a visual record that fans still circulate years later.
Arne Naess Jr.: The Grandfather Indigo Never Met
Indigo’s paternal grandfather, Arne Naess Jr., was born on December 8, 1937, in Norway. He built a fortune in shipping and business, and he was also an accomplished mountaineer who climbed peaks across multiple continents.
He married Diana Ross in 1986 after meeting her in the Bahamas in 1985. Their marriage produced Ross and Evan before ending in divorce in 2000.
On January 13, 2004, Arne Naess Jr. died in a rock-climbing accident near Cape Town, South Africa. He was 66 years old. He slipped and fell approximately 320 feet.
The loss was significant for the entire family and left a lasting mark on Ross and Evan, who have both spoken about honoring his spirit through their own love of the outdoors and adventure.
Indigo will only know his grandfather through stories, photographs, and the values his father carries forward.
The adventurous, grounded, quietly strong spirit that defined Arne Naess Jr. is something Ross appears to be passing on deliberately. Every camping trip, every nature outing, every photo of the boys outdoors is part of that thread.
Indigo Naess Growing Up in Malibu
Malibu, California, sits along a 21-mile stretch of Pacific coastline in Los Angeles County. It is one of the most sought-after and naturally beautiful places in the United States, known for its mountains, beaches, and the clean, unhurried pace of life it offers families who can afford it. For Indigo, it is simply home.
Growing up here gives Indigo access to beaches, hiking trails, and open space. His father’s love of photography and the outdoors maps perfectly onto a Malibu upbringing.
Ross has posted photos of their family in outdoor settings repeatedly, and the California landscape is a constant backdrop.
His parents are not raising him for the spotlight. He attends school like any other child in his area. His day-to-day life involves the ordinary rhythms of a childhood: school, play, brothers bickering and then laughing, meals together, weekends on the water or in the hills. The Ross-Naess name gives him a heritage, not a career.
The Broader Ross-Naess Family Tree
Understanding Indigo Naess fully requires understanding just how layered his family tree really is. His father Ross has:
- Three older maternal half-sisters: Rhonda Ross Kendrick, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Chudney Ross
- One younger biological brother: Evan Ross (born August 26, 1988)
- Multiple paternal half-siblings from Arne Naess Jr.’s other relationships, including Leona Naess, a British-Norwegian singer-songwriter, and Christoffer, Katinka, Nicklas, and Louis Naess
Tracee Ellis Ross, Ross’s half-sister and Indigo’s aunt, is one of the most recognized names in Hollywood, famous for her role as Rainbow Johnson in ABC’s Black-ish, which ran from 2014 to 2022. She won a Golden Globe Award for that role in 2017. Indigo grows up knowing Tracee as family, not as a television star.
Evan Ross, Indigo’s uncle, appeared in both parts of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay (2014 and 2015) alongside Jennifer Lawrence.
He and wife Ashlee Simpson have raised their own children, Jagger and Ziggy, in the same extended family orbit as Leif and Indigo.
Why People Search for Indigo Naess Online
The Viral Photo That Started It
The most commonly referenced moment that brought Indigo Naess to public attention was a photo Ross Naess posted on Instagram showing himself kneeling between his two young sons, arms around both of them, all three wearing matching white shirts and jeans outdoors.
The resemblance between Ross and his boys is striking. Fans noted the identical expressions, the identical posture, and the obvious comfort the boys felt around their father.
That photo circulated across celebrity news sites and family-interest platforms throughout 2020 and 2021.
It generated tens of thousands of engagements and drew widespread coverage from outlets including AmoMama, which described it as showing Diana Ross’s “long-haired grandsons” bearing a strong likeness to their father.
The Name Confusion Online
One issue worth addressing directly: some websites publish information about an “Indigo Naess” born in the 1990s with a full adult career and biography.
This is not accurate. As clarified by multiple entertainment outlets and family reporting, Indigo Naess is the child born in August 2017 to Ross Naess and Kimberly Ryan.
Any profile claiming he was born in a different decade, or attributing a professional career to him, is fabricated or confused with another individual.
The safest and consistently verified facts are these: Indigo Naess was born on August 15, 2017. He will be 8 years old in 2026. He is the son of Ross Naess and Kimberly Ryan. He is Diana Ross’s grandson.
What the Future May Hold for Indigo Naess
The Creative Inheritance
Indigo grows up inside a family where creative careers are normal. His grandmother Diana Ross performed at sold-out concerts across six decades.
His uncle Evan Ross acted in major Hollywood productions. His aunt Tracee Ellis Ross built a Golden Globe-winning television career. His father Ross photographs, produces, and builds businesses.
None of that predicts what Indigo will choose. But the range of examples around him is genuinely exceptional. He could find music natural, the way his grandmother did.
He could discover a visual eye for photography, the way his father did. He could decide to go into something none of his relatives ever tried. His parents’ approach to his childhood strongly suggests they would support any of those choices equally.
The Privacy Balance
One of the most consistent signals from Ross and Kimberly is their commitment to keeping their sons out of the public eye during childhood.
They share occasional, carefully chosen moments. They do not use their children for content. They do not appear to seek coverage of Indigo and Leif’s personal lives.
In a media environment where celebrity children are often treated as extensions of their parents’ public brands, that choice is worth noting.
By 2026, Indigo is 8 years old and in primary school. His formative years are unfolding outside the public view, which is almost certainly the right call.
When he is old enough to decide what kind of relationship he wants with public attention, he will make that decision himself.
FAQ: Indigo Naess Answered Clearly
Who is Indigo Naess?
Indigo Naess is the son of photographer and entrepreneur Ross Naess and Kimberly Ryan. He was born on August 15, 2017, and is the grandson of legendary singer Diana Ross. He is 8 years old as of 2026.
Who are Indigo Naess’s parents?
His father is Ross Naess, born October 7, 1987, the eldest son of Diana Ross and Arne Naess Jr. His mother is Kimberly Ryan, who married Ross in a ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, on June 10, 2017.
Does Indigo Naess have any siblings?
Yes. He has one older brother, Leif Naess, born June 5, 2016. The two boys are thirteen months apart and have grown up together in Malibu, California.
Who is Indigo Naess’s grandmother?
His paternal grandmother is Diana Ross, the Motown legend who rose to fame as lead vocalist of The Supremes in the 1960s. Diana has five children and eight grandchildren in total as of 2026.
Who was Indigo Naess’s grandfather?
His paternal grandfather was Arne Naess Jr., a Norwegian businessman, shipping magnate, and mountaineer. Arne was born December 8, 1937, and died January 13, 2004, in a rock-climbing accident near Cape Town, South Africa. He never met Indigo.
Where does Indigo Naess live?
Indigo lives with his parents and brother in Malibu, California, one of Los Angeles County’s most scenic and private communities along the Pacific coast.
How old is Indigo Naess in 2026?
Indigo Naess is 8 years old in 2026. He will turn 9 on August 15, 2026.
Who are Indigo Naess’s aunts and uncles?
His paternal relatives include Evan Ross (actor and musician, married to Ashlee Simpson), Tracee Ellis Ross (actress, Black-ish), Rhonda Ross Kendrick (singer), Chudney Ross, and half-siblings from Arne Naess Jr.’s other relationships including singer Leona Naess.
Did Diana Ross attend Indigo’s parents’ wedding?
Yes. Diana Ross officiated the June 2017 wedding between Ross Naess and Kimberly Ryan at Rancho Dos Pueblos in Santa Barbara, California.
She also performed at the ceremony. Leif, Indigo’s older brother, was present at the altar as a toddler.
Is there any public information about Indigo Naess’s education or career?
No. Indigo Naess is a child. He is currently in primary school. His parents keep his education and daily life private. He has no public career, social media presence, or professional credits.
A Legacy Held Lightly
Indigo Naess carries a name loaded with history. The Naess side brings a Norwegian shipping empire, an extraordinary mountaineer, and the haunting loss of a grandfather he never knew.
The Ross side brings Diana Ross, six decades of music, Motown’s most storied female group, and one of the most decorated entertainment careers in American history.
None of that is his to carry yet. For now, it is simply background. The foreground is Malibu, and a brother named Leif, and parents who take pictures not to share them with the world but because they want to remember these years. Indigo’s childhood is exactly what it should be: quiet, warm, and largely his own.
That is rarer than people realize in a family this famous. And it is, without question, the best gift Ross Naess and Kimberly Ryan could give him.
For a deeper look at the Ross-Naess family history, you can explore the Wikipedia entry on Diana Ross, which covers her career, marriages, and family in full biographical detail.
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