Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie’s Daughter Zahara Legally Files To Drop ‘Pitt’ From Last Name
Zahara Marley Jolie, the 21-year-old daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, has officially filed a legal petition in Los Angeles to drop her father's surname, seeking to be known as Zahara Marley Jolie. This move, following her public use of the name and similar steps by siblings Maddox (who filed after Zahara) and Shiloh (who is now 20 and legally changed her name in August 2024), formalizes a significant family development amidst the high-profile divorce of her parents, which was finalized on December 30, 2024.
Hollywood is abuzz with the latest development in the Jolie-Pitt family saga as Zahara Marley Jolie, the 21-year-old daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, has officially taken legal steps to remove her father's surname. The filing signals a formalization of a public shift that has been observed for some time, further highlighting the ongoing complexities within the prominent family. Angelina Jolie Birthday Special: 7 Most Memorable Film Roles of the Oscar-Winning Hollywood Actress.
Zahara Files to Legally Drop Last Name
Court documents obtained by various outlets confirm that Zahara submitted a petition to the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles on April 28, 2026, requesting that her legal name be changed to Zahara Marley Jolie. This official move follows several instances where Zahara, born on January 8, 2005, has publicly opted for her mother's surname.
A hearing on the matter is scheduled for September 28, 2026, in Los Angeles. The filing indicates her desire to legally formalise the name she has been using in public.
Zahara publicly introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie” during her initiation into the Alpha Kappa Kappa Sorority in November 2023. More recently, at her Spelman College graduation ceremony on May 17, 2026, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, her name was announced as “Zahara Marley Jolie,” despite commencement materials listing her as “Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt.” Reports indicate that Brad Pitt did not attend Zahara's graduation.
A Growing Trend Among Siblings
This formal filing makes Zahara the third of the six Jolie-Pitt children to actively distance themselves from their father's surname. Their older brother, Maddox Jolie, 24, reportedly dropped "Pitt" from his last name in the credits of his mother's film Couture and also filed a legal petition to remove his father's last name just days after Zahara's filing.
Their biological sister, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie, 20, made headlines in May 2024 when she filed paperwork to legally change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie on her 18th birthday, May 27, 2024. Her petition was subsequently granted in August 2024. Additionally, 17-year-old Vivienne Jolie was credited as "Vivienne Jolie" in the Playbill for the Broadway musical The Outsiders, a production her mother Angelina Jolie produced. It remains unclear whether Vivienne has legally changed her name. Is Angelina Jolie’s Daughter Shiloh Jolie Dating Keoni Rose? Know About Her Rumoured Partner and Her K-Pop Music Video Debut.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, whose high-profile relationship began after filming Mr & Mrs Smith in 2004, were married in 2014 and separated in September 2016. Their divorce was finalised on December 30, 2024, after a protracted legal battle that spanned eight years. A source close to Brad Pitt commented on the developments, stating, "It's sad to see someone repeatedly publicize their successful alienation of their children from the other parent."
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 10, 2026 03:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
