Brad Pitt's children Zahara and Maddox publish newspaper notices to officially drop his surname

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Zahara and Maddox, the daughter and son of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, took another step in July toward legally dropping "Pitt" from their names, according to newly obtained court documents.

Both siblings have obtained proof of publication confirming their intent to change their names. However, their requests have not yet been granted, with court hearings scheduled for later this year. The moves come amid similar surname changes by several of the former couple's other children.

Zahara, Maddox seek Jolie surname legally

According to court documents, 21-year-old Zahara and 24-year-old Maddox each published legal notices in the Los Angeles Daily Journal in accordance with California law. Zahara's notice was published on Thursday, July 9, while Maddox’s appeared on Tuesday, July 7.

Zahara is requesting that her full legal name be changed to Zahara Marley Jolie, while Maddox is seeking the name Maddox Chivan Jolie. The petitions are still pending, with Zahara's hearing scheduled for September 28 and Maddox's set for September 14. 

In 2024, a source told PEOPLE that Pitt has “virtually no contact” with his adult children. At the time, the actor still had visitation with his younger children, though they have since all reached adulthood.

“This is the result of a prolonged campaign of alienation of children against their parent,” a source close to Pitt also told the outlet, adding, “It’s an incredibly sad reality, but it’s not surprising after years of one parent weaponizing the children against the other one with no regard for the consequences.”

Brad Pitt's children drop family surname

Zahara’s legal request follows her decision to drop her father’s surname during her graduation from Spelman College on May 17, 2026.

Although the commencement program listed her as Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt, her name was announced as Zahara Marley Jolie when she crossed the stage after earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

She is not the first of her siblings to distance herself from the "Pitt" surname. Maddox filed his own name-change petition on May 28 and had already omitted “Pitt” from the credits of his mother’s film 'Couture,' where he worked as an assistant director.

The drama starred Jolie as an American film director diagnosed with breast cancer after arriving in France to make a video for Paris Fashion Week.

In August 2024, PEOPLE confirmed that Shiloh, born Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, had legally changed her name after filing a petition on her 18th birthday, May 27. Following the filing, a source close to Pitt said the actor was “aware” of the decision.

“He’s aware and upset that Shiloh dropped his last name,” the source said, adding, “The reminders that he’s lost his children, is of course not easy for Brad. He loves his children and misses them.”