Angelina Jolie's Kids Zahara and Maddox Take a Major Step to Distance Themselves from Their Dad — Details

The siblings' latest move made their plans public, clearing the way for judges to consider whether their requested name changes should become official.

Zahara and Maddox, two of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's six children, have completed a key requirement in their petitions to remove "Pitt" from their names legally.

According to court documents obtained by People, both siblings have published the legal notices required under California law before a judge can consider their requests.

The notices state that Zahara, 21, is seeking the legal name Zahara Marley Jolie, while Maddox, 24, is requesting Maddox Chivan Jolie.

The Legal Step That Moved Their Petitions Closer to a Judge's Decision

In California, filing a petition is only the first step in a legal name change. Petitioners must also publish notice of their request in a qualifying newspaper, making the proposed change part of the public record before the case can proceed.

According to the same publication, Maddox's notice appeared in the Los Angeles Daily Journal on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, while Zahara's was published on Thursday, July 9.

Once proof of publication is filed with the court, the petitions can move forward to a hearing.

Neither name change has been approved yet. The next step is for a judge to review each petition during separate court hearings. Maddox's hearing is scheduled for September 14, while Zahara's is set for September 28.

Both Maddox and Zahara were adopted by Angelina before Brad later adopted them as well.

Maddox was born in Battambang, Cambodia, and was adopted by Jolie in 2002 after she visited an orphanage while in the country. Zahara was born in Hawassa, Ethiopia, and was adopted by Jolie in 2005 when she was about seven months old.

While the publication notices mark the latest development, they are not the first sign that the siblings were seeking to legally remove "Pitt" from their names.

Earlier reports revealed that Maddox had already begun the process months before.

The Daily Mail reported that Maddox filed the request on May 27, listing the reason simply as "Personal." But the filing was not the first indication that he planned to drop the surname.

Maddox had already informally dropped the surname in February, when he was listed in the end credits of Angelina's movie "Couture" as Maddox Jolie.

Angelina Jolie's Daughter Takes the Spelman Graduation Stage

Zahara, who recently graduated from Spelman College, had also used her mom's surname publicly before filing her own legal petition.

In its 2026 Commencement Ceremony footage, the graduate was called to the stage as "Zahara Marley Jolie" — notably, with no hyphenated "Pitt" at the end.

In the graduation footage, Zahara can be seen walking across the stage in her black cap and gown, with a pale stole draped over her shoulders. She appears poised and happy as she accepts her achievement, shaking hands with top alumnae and professionals.

The scene was formal, but still warm. Zahara's smile, her confident walk, and the applause around her made it clear that this was a proud day first and foremost.

More photos from the commencement showed Zahara beaming in her graduation attire. In one image, she turns back with a bright smile, holding her diploma cover as the Spelman emblem stands behind her.

The graduation was not the first time Zahara publicly used Angelina's surname.

When Zahara joined the Mu Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in November 2023, she introduced herself using only her mother's surname during her new member presentation.

"My name is Zahara Marley Jolie. And [I] landed all the way from the Golden State in the city full of angels: Los Angeles, California," she said at the time.

Another Graduation Moment Drew Attention to the Family Name

Zahara's commencement was not the only graduation to spark discussion about the Jolie-Pitt family's surnames. As reported by Page Six, her younger brother Knox used the name "Knox Jolie" on his high school diploma after graduating from Fusion Academy in Los Angeles.

According to the outlet, the teenager, who turns 18 on July 12, celebrated the milestone alongside Angelina and his siblings Pax, Zahara, and his twin sister, Vivienne.

The publication also shared differing accounts from unnamed sources about the family's situation.

One source alleged that Angelina viewed the recent developments positively, saying she "seems quite pleased with herself about the total success of her long-standing, intense, deliberate effort to alienate her children from their father."

The same source added, "It's so sad for the entire family that she would use the same weapon of the name change over and over for any other purpose other than to hurt their father. This was her goal and she succeeded."

Another source offered a different perspective, pointing to the family's past efforts to address their relationships.

"Angelina participated in years of family therapy with Brad and the children for everyone to try to heal after the events that led her to file for divorce," the source said.

The insider continued, "The children are now adults and make their own decisions, which deserve respect. If they choose to distance themselves from him, it comes from that pain and harm."

One Sibling Is Reportedly Taking a Different Path

While several of the siblings have reportedly moved away from using the Pitt surname, the same media outlet reported that Pax's situation appears to be different.

A source told the outlet, "Pax still has a relationship with his dad's side of the family and continues to spend time with them." The insider added that he recently joined relatives for a dinner celebrating his cousin Sydney Pitt's engagement.

At the same time, the source said Pax's relationship with his father remains limited. "He doesn't have much of a relationship with Brad," the insider added.

Although Pax has reportedly maintained ties with his father's extended family, several of his siblings have taken different paths in recent years. The first to formally change her last name was Shiloh.

Shiloh's 18th Birthday Filing

In May 2024, Shiloh, formerly Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, filed paperwork requesting a legal name change, asking to drop her dad's surname and become simply Shiloh Jolie, according to TMZ.

The timing made the move even more striking. Shiloh had just turned 18 on May 27, and the filing was reportedly made on her birthday. In other words, one of her first known acts as an adult was tied to changing her name. That detail did not go unnoticed.

TMZ described the filing as "incredibly telling," pointing to the widely reported strain between Brad and some of his children since he and Angelina filed for divorce in 2016. But Shiloh was not the only former Jolie-Pitt child whose name raised eyebrows around that time.

Vivienne's Playbill Credit Added a Quieter but Telling Twist

That same month in 2024, Vivienne stepped into the conversation in a quieter, but still very noticeable, way. In the Playbill for the musical "The Outsiders," which she helped Angelina produce, Vivienne was listed as "Vivienne Jolie" rather than "Vivienne Jolie-Pitt," according to People.

Unlike Shiloh's filing, People noted that it was not immediately clear whether Vivienne had legally changed her name. Still, the listing was enough to catch public attention.

After all, when a famous surname vanishes from a public credit, people are bound to notice, especially when that surname is Pitt.

People also reported that representatives for both Angelina and Brad could not be reached for comment at the time. However, the outlet did include previous insight from a Pitt source, who said in August 2022 that Brad had been hoping to reach a better place with his children amid the former couple's custody battle.

The insider described the situation as sad and difficult, saying Brad had been focused on having the best relationship possible with his kids. They also claimed there had been long gaps where he did not see the children at all.