Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, the 18-year-old daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, has officially changed her name to Shiloh Jolie, dropping her father’s surname. This change was confirmed after a court approved her request, following her initial filing on May 27, the day of her 18th birthday. This legal shift was publicly announced in a newspaper, as required by California law.
Shiloh’s name change process was not entirely smooth. In July, a clerical issue caused a delay in the court proceedings, as the required background check had not been completed in time for the scheduled hearing. The hearing was postponed and rescheduled for August 19, after which the name change was officially finalized.
Shiloh is one of six children shared by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Her siblings include Maddox, Pax, Zahara, and twins Vivienne and Knox. Notably, Shiloh is not the only one to have changed her name after her parents’ 2016 split.
Her sisters, Zahara and Vivienne, have also dropped the “Pitt” surname in various official contexts, with Zahara making the change in her college sorority and Vivienne listing herself as “Vivienne Jolie” in a Broadway program.
The Jolie-Pitt family’s name changes reflect a broader trend within the family. Angelina herself chose to drop her father’s last name, Voight, and adopt her middle name as her surname when she began her acting career. Similarly, Brad Pitt goes by his middle name, Bradley, in his professional life instead of his legal first name, William.
This pattern of personal name changes appears to be a way for the Jolie-Pitt family to assert their individuality and autonomy, particularly in light of their parents’ divorce. It highlights a recurring theme of reclaiming one’s identity, a practice that seems to run in the family.
