Two of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's six adopted children are advancing through final legal steps to drop their father's surname. In April, 21-year-old Zahara and 24-year-old Maddox filed to remove 'Pitt' from their names; they published the required notice in a local newspaper during summer and will face a judge in September for final approval. Their sister Shiloh underwent the same change to her surname in 2024. The couple divorced in 2016 following an incident aboard a private plane that prompted Jolie's separation decision. Pitt's representatives told the BBC he regrets the family circumstances but respects his children's choices.

The children's decisions exemplify a wider trend of adults reshaping their surnames to reflect relationships they genuinely value. Two women featured in the article—one who merged her mother's maiden name with her husband's surname upon marriage, another who replaced her paternal surname with her mother's—both describe feeling more authentic after the changes. A specialist in name history noted that surname changes typically signal a person's intention to distance themselves from a particular family association. Through his spokesperson, Pitt acknowledged his regret about how matters have unfolded whilst affirming his respect for his children's self-determination.