LOS ANGELES, USA: In a move that underscores the growing distance between Brad Pitt and his children, and their deepening alignment with their mother, Angelina Jolie, Zahara and Maddox Jolie-Pitt have taken another significant legal step toward removing “Pitt” from their surnames, completing a key California requirement before their name change requests can be approved in court.
Zahara Jolie Takes Legal Steps to Drop Pitt Last Name
Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt is moving forward with dropping her father’s surname. Court documents show she has published the required legal notice in the Los Angeles Daily Journal for four weeks as part of her name change… https://t.co/8tj3efWdbQ pic.twitter.com/e3llrQlw7W
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) July 13, 2026
The latest filings come as several of the former Hollywood couple’s children have increasingly chosen to use only the surname “Jolie” in recent years, signaling a personal and symbolic break from their father. Court documents confirm that 21-year-old Zahara and 24-year-old Maddox have published notices of their proposed name changes in the Los Angeles Daily Journal, as mandated under California law.
アンジェリーナ・ジョリーとの子どもたちが、法的な名前変更手続きを進行中。シャイロに続き長男・長女も改名へと動き、きょうだいたちの“ピット姓離れ”が決定的にhttps://t.co/6KqJziMAJo
— ELLE Japan (@ellejapan) July 14, 2026
Zahara’s petition appeared once a week for four consecutive weeks on June 16, June 23, June 30, and July 7, with a final court hearing scheduled for September 28. Maddox completed the same process earlier, with his notices published on June 10, June 17, June 24, and July 1, and his hearing set for September 14. The legal notices also invite anyone opposing the requests to submit written objections before the final hearings.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s daughter Zahara moved forward with dropping her dad’s surname by publishing the petition in a local newspaper, according to court docs obtained by E! News. https://t.co/vBBTsHmyU5 pic.twitter.com/PfhoZJJK3z
— E! News (@enews) July 13, 2026
New legal names requested
Zahara is seeking to officially change her name from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie. Meanwhile, Maddox has requested that his legal name be changed from Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt to Maddox Chivan Jolie. Earlier court filings indicated that Maddox cited “personal” reasons for requesting the change.
Under California law, publishing the petition in a newspaper of general circulation is a mandatory step before a court can approve a legal name change. If no objections are received, a judge is expected to grant the requests at their respective hearings.
Zahara had already stopped using ‘Pitt’
Although the legal process is still underway, Zahara has publicly used the surname Jolie for some time. She introduced herself simply as Zahara Marley Jolie during a 2024 Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority event at Spelman College. More recently, during her May 17, 2026 graduation ceremony at Spelman College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, her name was announced as Zahara Marley Jolie, despite the commencement programme listing her as Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt.
Maddox also informally dropped his father’s surname earlier this year. He was credited as Maddox Jolie while serving as an assistant director on Angelina Jolie’s latest film, Couture. Reports dating back to 2021 also suggested Maddox had already been using “Jolie” instead of “Pitt” on non-legal documents.
Shiloh led the way; Vivienne follows
Zahara and Maddox are not the only children to distance themselves from Brad Pitt’s surname. Their sister Shiloh became the first sibling to officially complete the legal process after filing to remove “Pitt” from her name on her 18th birthday in May 2024. According to Entertainment Tonight, she hired and paid for her own lawyer during the process. A Los Angeles Superior Court later approved the request, and she now legally goes by Shiloh Jolie.
Their younger sister Vivienne also appeared to stop using the Pitt surname. She was credited as Vivienne Jolie in the Playbill for the Broadway production The Outsiders, which she helped produce alongside her mother in 2024.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt kids take out newspaper ad to make major name change https://t.co/lWqBAq2VYE pic.twitter.com/Lw3xH9WyNw
— Tyla (@Tyla) July 14, 2026
Family shares six children
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt share six children together: Maddox, 24; Pax, 22; Zahara, 21; Shiloh, 20; and twins Knox and Vivienne, 17. Brad Pitt adopted both Maddox and Zahara after beginning his relationship with Angelina Jolie in 2005. In January 2006, a Los Angeles judge approved a petition changing both children’s surnames to Jolie-Pitt after Pitt formally adopted them.
Read Also: Why Is Brad Pitt Facing New Legal Troubles Amid Angelina Jolie Dispute?
The legal name changes come after years of reports describing a strained relationship between Brad Pitt and several of his children. People magazine previously reported that Pitt has “virtually no contact” with his adult children, although he maintained visitation with his younger children until they became adults. A source close to Pitt described the situation as “an incredibly sad reality,” claiming it resulted from what was described as a prolonged campaign of alienation.
Following Shiloh’s legal name change, another source said Pitt was aware of the decision and was deeply upset. “He loves his children and misses them,” the source said.
Divorce and custody battle followed 2016 split
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt began dating in 2005, married in 2014, and separated in 2016 after more than a decade together. Their split followed an alleged incident aboard a private flight from France to Los Angeles. During later divorce proceedings, Jolie alleged that Pitt physically assaulted her and one of their children during the flight, claiming she had to restrain him in a chokehold after he allegedly lunged toward one of the children. Pitt denied the allegations.
Read Also: Angelina Jolie Celebrates Daughter’s Graduation without Brad Pitt
The FBI investigated the incident but declined to pursue charges after completing its review. The former couple’s divorce proceedings also included lengthy disputes over child custody and ownership of their French winery, Château Miraval. Their divorce was reported as finalized in December 2024, while another report stated the pair reached a divorce settlement in January 2025.
