Zahara Jolie-Pitt has taken a formal step to remove “Pitt” from her legal name, adding a new chapter to a family story that has drawn public attention since Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt separated in 2016.
The 21-year-old daughter of the former couple filed a petition seeking to change her name from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie, according to reports citing court documents. The request places Zahara among the adult children in the family who have moved, either legally or publicly, toward using Jolie as their surname.
The petition has not been described as finalized. Reports said a hearing is expected later in 2026, meaning the request remains part of a court process rather than a completed action. In California, adult name-change petitions generally require court review before becoming official.
The development drew attention because Zahara had already appeared to use a shortened version of her name in public settings. During a 2023 Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. introduction at Spelman College, she introduced herself as Zahara Marley Jolie. Coverage of her Spelman graduation also noted that she was publicly identified without the Pitt surname.
The latest filing matters because it moves the issue from public usage to the legal system. For a family whose private disputes have often surfaced through court records, the petition adds another documented step in how some of the Jolie-Pitt children are choosing to identify as adults.
Why the Filing Drew Immediate Attention
The petition comes after similar moves involving Zahara’s siblings. Shiloh, who was born Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, filed to remove Pitt from her surname in 2024 after turning 18. That request was later granted, making her legal name Shiloh Jolie.
Reports in late May 2026 said Maddox, the eldest of the six children, had also filed to remove Pitt from his surname. Zahara’s filing followed soon after, creating a visible pattern among the former couple’s adult children.
Not every reported surname change in the family has followed the same legal path. Vivienne, one of Jolie and Pitt’s twins, was credited as Vivienne Jolie in materials connected to the Broadway production The Outsiders, where Angelina Jolie served as a producer and Vivienne worked as an assistant. Public crediting, however, is not the same as a legal name change.
Zahara’s filing stands out because it appears to be a formal petition, not only a public preference or professional credit. It also arrives at a moment when several members of the family are adults and able to make legal decisions about their own names.
A Famous Family Name Becomes a Personal Legal Choice
Zahara was adopted by Angelina Jolie from Ethiopia in 2005. Brad Pitt later became her adoptive father. She grew up under one of the most recognizable surnames in entertainment, alongside siblings Maddox, Pax, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne.
For years, Jolie-Pitt functioned as both a family name and a public identifier. That changed after Jolie filed for divorce in 2016. The separation led to years of legal proceedings involving custody, finances, property matters, and disputes connected to the former couple’s French estate and wine business.
Their marital status was bifurcated in 2019, making them legally single while other matters continued. Reports said the divorce was finalized in late 2024, though separate litigation connected to property interests has continued.
Against that backdrop, the children’s names have become a subject of public interest. Still, name-change petitions are personal legal filings, and the reasons behind them may not be fully stated in public records. Zahara has not issued a broad public explanation for the filing.
A court petition can confirm what legal change is being requested, but it does not automatically explain a family relationship, assign motive, or provide a complete account of private circumstances. Zahara’s filing is ultimately about how she is asking to be legally identified.
What Is Known About Zahara’s Recent Public Life
Zahara has kept a lower public profile than her parents, though her college years brought renewed attention. She attended Spelman College in Atlanta, one of the country’s most prominent historically Black colleges for women.
Her 2023 sorority introduction drew widespread coverage after a video circulated online showing her introducing herself as Zahara Marley Jolie. The moment was brief, but it attracted attention because it marked a public setting where she used Jolie without Pitt.
Her graduation from Spelman again placed her name in headlines. Reports noted that she was identified publicly as Zahara Marley Jolie during the celebration, reinforcing that the shorter surname had already been used outside the court system before the reported filing.
Angelina Jolie has been seen supporting Zahara at public and school-related events, including moments connected to Spelman. Those appearances have kept attention on Zahara’s academic milestones rather than only on her parents’ long-running legal history.
The latest petition shifts the focus from ceremonial or public usage to a legal request. If granted, it would make Zahara Marley Jolie her official name, aligning her legal identity with the name she has already used in public settings.
