Zahara Jolie-Pitt, the daughter of Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, has taken another significant legal step toward removing her father’s surname and officially changing her name.
According to newly filed court documents, the 21-year-old has completed one of California’s legal requirements for a name change by publishing notice of her petition in a newspaper for four consecutive weeks.
If the court approves her application later this year, she will legally be known as Zahara Marley Jolie.
Zahara completes legal publication requirement
Court documents obtained by TMZ show that Zahara has fulfilled the publication requirement mandated under California law for individuals seeking to change their legal names.
The notice appeared in the Los Angeles Daily Journal once a week for four consecutive weeks, informing the public of her request to remove “Pitt” from her surname.
The published notice also invited anyone wishing to challenge the application to file a written objection before the scheduled court hearing.
According to the filings, the notices were published on June 16, June 23, June 30 and July 7.
Court hearing scheduled
Zahara reportedly submitted her formal name-change petition in June, with a court hearing now scheduled for September 28.
During the hearing, a judge is expected to consider the application.
If no valid objections are raised and the court grants the request, her legal name will officially become Zahara Marley Jolie.
The process follows California’s standard legal procedure for adult name-change applications.
Following in her sister’s footsteps
Zahara is not the first member of the Jolie-Pitt family to seek removal of Brad Pitt’s surname.
Her younger sister, Shiloh, officially dropped “Pitt” from her legal surname in 2024 after completing the same publication and court approval process.
Other siblings have also publicly moved away from using the Pitt surname in recent years.
Maddox has reportedly used only “Jolie” in some settings, while Vivienne was credited simply as “Vivienne Jolie” in a theatre production associated with her mother.
These developments have continued to attract media attention as the family’s relationships remain under public scrutiny.
Long-running family tensions
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been involved in a lengthy legal dispute since their separation in 2016.
The former couple finalised their divorce in 2019, but several legal matters—including issues involving their French winery and family-related disputes—have continued in court.
The strained relationship between Pitt and some of his children has frequently made headlines over the years.
Neither Zahara nor her legal representatives have publicly explained the reasons behind her decision to seek the surname change.
Source close to Brad Pitt reacts
According to TMZ, a source close to Brad Pitt believes Angelina Jolie is responsible for the fractured relationship between the actor and his children.
The unnamed source claimed:
“They believe Angelina has caused the rift between Brad and the children, and this is just the latest chapter in the very sad and never-ending campaign to alienate children from their father.”
Brad Pitt himself has not publicly commented on Zahara’s latest legal filing.
Angelina Jolie has also remained silent regarding the ongoing name-change process.
Public attention continues
The latest development has generated widespread discussion on social media, where opinions remain divided.
Some observers believe Zahara’s decision reflects her personal choice as an adult, while others view it as another chapter in the well-publicised family dispute involving Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Under California law, adults have the legal right to petition for a name change provided they complete the required legal procedures and receive court approval.
If the judge approves Zahara’s application in September, she will officially become Zahara Marley Jolie, joining other members of the family who have chosen to publicly distance themselves from the Pitt surname.
Read more about California’s legal name change process on the California Courts official website: https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/name-change
