Los Angeles, California — Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt, the daughter of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, has successfully petitioned for a legal name change, dropping her father’s surname. In a ruling made on September 28, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge officially recognized her as Zahara Marley Jolie, making her the latest among the couple’s children to alter their name legally.
Judge Virginia Keeny presided over the brief court session where Zahara, 21, was represented remotely by attorney Peter Kenneth Levine. The court proceedings were smoothly conducted, with no opposition presented against Zahara’s request. The decision was finalized and entered into the court’s record on the same day.
Zahara filed her name-change petition on June 4, and subsequent notices were published in the local newspaper, informing the public and allowing time for any objections to be filed, which there were none. This legal process, as stipulated by California law, is a necessary step when one seeks to change their name. Zahara had previously made her intentions known alongside her brother Maddox, who had also taken steps to change his name by omitting the “Pitt.”
Reactions from both parents’ circles have been polarized since the ruling. A source from Pitt’s camp described the decision as another instance of what they termed alienation within the family, suggesting it served to distract from the actor’s own achievements in his career. They argued that one side of the family has historically leveraged the children for public attention, an allegation that sparked a significant response from Jolie’s team.
In contrast, a source close to Jolie defended the proceedings as a legal requirement and criticized the interpretation coming from Pitt’s side. This individual accused Pitt of evading responsibility for issues within the family and stated that Zahara has chosen not to publicly discuss any alleged mistreatment. A separate source within Jolie’s circle noted that the relationship between Pitt and the children suffered due to his actions, indicating a deepening divide.
Pitt’s associates have articulated the emotional toll the divorce has taken, describing the estrangement from his children as the most painful consequence stemming from the split. One individual close to him mentioned that he has been working through the hurt and is now focusing on acceptance and moving forward beyond the turmoil that followed the separation.
Zahara is not alone in this significant name change; her siblings have made similar decisions. Maddox, 25, successfully updated his name to Maddox Chivan Jolie earlier this month, while their sister Shiloh, who turned 18 in May 2024, was granted her name change a few months later. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Vivienne has also filed to change her name and is awaiting a hearing scheduled for November 2.
Zahara’s journey began when Jolie adopted her from Ethiopia in 2005; Pitt later formally adopted her in 2006, leading to her initial name of Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt. In recent years, several of the children have chosen to highlight their maternal lineage, seemingly aligning with a family tradition of distancing from their father’s surname as they reach adulthood.
The shifts in family dynamics are reflective of the turbulent history between Jolie and Pitt, marked by public disputes and legal battles. They established a settlement regarding their divorce in 2024, but conflict over their shared investments, particularly their French winery, persists. Regardless, the family’s next court engagement involves Vivienne’s upcoming hearing, continuing a chapter of name changes among the Jolie-Pitt children.