Zahara Jolie Name Change Officially Granted by Los Angeles Judge
The Zahara Jolie name change is now official. On Monday, September 28, 2026, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted 21-year-old Zahara’s petition to legally change her name from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie, dropping her father Brad Pitt’s last name once and for all, according to court documents obtained by Page Six.
“There being no objections, the petition for change of name is granted,” read the September 28 minute order. “The Decree is signed and filed. The Petitioner’s name is changed from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie.”
Zahara’s attorney, Peter Kenneth Levine, appeared remotely for the hearing before Judge Virginia Keeny at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, per the filing.
Why Zahara Dropped Her Father’s Last Name
The court filing formalized what Zahara had already been doing in public for years. In May, she was introduced as “Zahara Marley Jolie” while accepting her diploma at Spelman College, the historically Black women’s college in Atlanta where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She also used the shortened name during her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority induction ceremony in 2023.
Zahara officially petitioned to have “Pitt” removed from her last name on June 9 — just days after her older brother Maddox filed his own petition — and both siblings confirmed their intent by publishing legal notices in the Los Angeles Daily Journal in July, as required by California law. The notices gave anyone opposed to the change a chance to submit a written objection. None did.
Maddox’s name change from “Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt” to “Maddox Chivan Jolie” became official on September 14, 2026, according to public court records reviewed by PEOPLE.
A Source Close to Brad Pitt Reacts
Following the ruling, a source close to Brad Pitt told Page Six that the move 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 pushed back, calling the criticism “a new low” and noting, per the filing: “Today’s hearing was required by law and scheduled months ago by the L.A. court system. Keep in mind, his daughter has had the grace not to discuss the details of his behaviour in public.”
Four of Six Jolie-Pitt Children Have Now Petitioned
With Zahara’s ruling, four of the six children Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie share have now petitioned to drop “Pitt” from their last names, PEOPLE reported. Shiloh, 20, filed on her 18th birthday in May 2024. Vivienne, 18, filed a petition in July 2026 citing “personal” reasons, with a hearing scheduled for November 2. The former couple — who separated in 2016 and finalized their divorce in December 2024 — also share Pax, 22, and Knox, 18.
The saga mirrors a similar celebrity family legal battle playing out across Hollywood this week, as Wladimir Klitschko moved in court to protect his daughter Kaya’s inheritance following the death of Hayden Panettiere.
The Backstory: A Decade of Distance
Angelina Jolie adopted Zahara from Ethiopia as an infant in 2005. When Jolie and Pitt began their relationship, the actor filed to adopt both Maddox and Zahara, and their surnames were officially changed to Jolie-Pitt in early 2006, per PEOPLE and court history reported in the press.
The couple — who starred together in Mr. and Mrs. Smith — separated in 2016 after 12 years together and two years of marriage, finalizing their divorce in December 2024. In the years since, several of the children have visibly distanced themselves from Pitt’s name, though Zahara has never publicly discussed her reasons; sources close to the family have noted her “grace not to discuss the details” in public.
On September 14 — the same day Maddox’s petition was granted — Zahara appeared alongside her mother at a special screening of Angelina’s film Without Blood at Village East by Angelika in New York City, where the two were photographed holding hands, PEOPLE reported.
Zahara Jolie Name Change FAQ
When did Zahara Jolie legally drop Pitt’s last name?
A Los Angeles judge granted Zahara’s name change petition on September 28, 2026, changing her legal name from Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt to Zahara Marley Jolie.
Why did Zahara Jolie drop Brad Pitt’s name?
Zahara had stopped publicly using her father’s last name long before the ruling — she was introduced as Zahara Marley Jolie at her Spelman College graduation in May 2026 and at her sorority induction in 2023. A source close to Pitt described it as family “alienation,” while others close to the family declined to characterize her personal reasons.
How many of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s children dropped his name?
Four of the six: Shiloh filed in 2024, Maddox and Zahara had their petitions granted in September 2026, and Vivienne filed in July 2026 with a hearing set for November 2.
Where was the Zahara Jolie name change granted?
At the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles, where Judge Virginia Keeny presided over the hearing with Zahara’s attorney Peter Kenneth Levine appearing remotely.
