Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, the daughter of Hollywood icons Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, recently marked her 18th birthday with a significant decision. According to TMZ, on May 27, Shiloh took a notable step towards asserting her independence by filing a legal request to change her name. This timing suggests that the young adult has been eagerly anticipating this moment.
The name change is particularly revealing. Shiloh has reportedly chosen to drop “Pitt” from her hyphenated surname, opting to be known simply as Shiloh Jolie. This move hints at a desire to distance herself from her father, especially in light of Brad and Angelina’s highly publicized and tumultuous divorce in 2016. The split, which was rumored to be triggered by an altercation between Brad and their eldest son Maddox, has reportedly strained Brad’s relationship with his children.
While Shiloh is the first of the Jolie-Pitt siblings to formally request a name change, she is not alone in seeking to simplify her surname. Previously, there were rumors that Maddox also considered dropping “Pitt” from his name. Additionally, Shiloh’s older sister Zahara introduced herself as Zahara Marley Jolie, omitting “Pitt,” during her sorority induction ceremony in 2023. Just days before Shiloh’s legal filing, her younger sister Vivienne was credited as “Vivienne Jolie” in the playbill for a musical production she was involved in.
When Brad and Angelina’s romance blossomed in the mid-2000s, Angelina had already adopted Maddox from Cambodia in 2002 and Zahara from Ethiopia in 2005. Brad officially adopted both children in 2006, and their surnames were changed to Jolie-Pitt. Shiloh was born later that year, followed by the adoption of Pax from Vietnam in 2007, and the birth of twins Knox and Vivienne in 2008.
While Shiloh’s request for a name change has not yet been finalized, it sets a precedent that might be followed by her siblings. This move appears to be more than just a change of name; it symbolizes a new chapter in Shiloh’s life and possibly her quest for her own identity, separate from the shadow of her parents’ fame and their complicated history.
