Zahara Jolie’s legal name change is official & ‘sources close to Brad Pitt’ are furious

It’s official! Zahara Jolie-Pitt changed her legal name to Zahara Marley Jolie. Zahara dropped “Pitt” from her surname informally years ago, and she never used it when she attended Spelman. She graduated from Spelman this past spring, and soon after, she filed the petition for a name change. I always wonder: do you think her diploma says Jolie-Pitt? Will she get a new diploma? Anyway, Zahara’s name-change hearing was held on Monday and it went through, obviously.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s daughter Zahara has officially dropped her father’s last name.

As of her name change petition hearing on Monday, Sept. 28, Zahara, 21, now goes by “Zahara Marley Jolie” rather than “Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt.” Court filings obtained by PEOPLE show a California judge approved the change with no objections.

Pitt, 62, and Angelina, 51, share six children: Maddox, 25, Pax, 22, Zahara, Shiloh, 20, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 18. The Mr. and Mrs. Smith stars separated in 2016 after 12 years together and two years of marriage, finalizing their divorce in December 2024.

Zahara petitioned to have “Pitt” removed from her last name on June 9 in a filing that dated back to April 28. Days earlier, Maddox also filed to remove his father’s last name. In July, both siblings confirmed their intent by publishing legal notices in the Los Angeles Daily Journal in accordance with California law.

On Sept. 14, Maddox’s name change from “Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt” to “Maddox Chivan Jolie” became official, according to public court records reviewed by PEOPLE.

Maddox and Zahara have followed the legal move from Shiloh, who filed to drop Pitt’s name on her 18th birthday back in 2024.

On her own 18th birthday this past July, Vivienne filed to change her name from “Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt” to “Vivienne Marcheline Jolie.” Following another publication in the Los Angeles Daily Journal, her name change petition court hearing is set for Nov. 2.

[From People]

I’m so happy for Zahara Jolie! I’m glad that she finally went through the months-long process, which I’m sure was unpleasant. But much like Shiloh, Zahara went out and hired her own lawyer and I’m sure the lawyer helped her through everything. So Zahara is the third child to officially drop Brad Pitt’s surname. And Vivienne will be the fourth by the end of the year. Knox apparently dropped “Pitt” socially a while ago, but no one’s saying whether he’ll go through the legal process as well. And no one’s saying anything about Pax! Well, as you can imagine, “sources close to Brad Pitt” continue to cry about “parental alienation.” Team Jolie clapped back in real time though:

Following the name change, a source close to Pitt exclusively told Page Six, “This is the latest installment in what complete and total alienation looks like with an extra topping of trying to deflect attention from their ex’s success. Anyone who has actually been a part of this for the last ten years would know that there’s only one side that talks about and has tried to weaponize the kids.”

A second source close to the “Maleficent” star exclusively said in response, “Today’s hearing was required by law and scheduled months ago by the L.A. court system. It’s a new low to have his camp to spin a conspiracy theory, disavow responsibility for his conduct, and attack his own child. Keep in mind, his daughter has had the grace not to discuss the details of his behavior in public.”

[From Page Six]

This has been a consistent talking point from Angelina Jolie’s camp this year: “Brad should be thankful that the kids aren’t talking about his behavior publicly.” And it’s true – Brad should be grateful. He keeps blaming Angelina, but those kids have seen and experienced all of Brad’s horrible actions, from the 2016 plane attack to how he’s still suing Angelina over her legal sale of the winery!! And Team Pitt’s conspiracy that this name-change petition was timed specifically “with an extra topping of trying to deflect attention from their ex’s success.” OH MY GOD.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.