Maddox Jolie files to drop ‘Pitt’ surname

Maddox Chivan Jolie, the 24‑year‑old eldest son of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, filed a petition in a US court to remove the surname “Pitt” from his legal name, seeking to be known simply as Maddox Chivan Jolie. The filing, reported by Us Weekly and the Daily Mail on 29 May, cites “personal” reasons for the change. Maddox’s request follows similar actions by his sister Shiloh, who legally dropped “Pitt” after turning 18, and informal name changes by sisters Zahara and Vivienne, who now use only the Jolie surname in public credits.

The name‑change filing has been linked to a wider family estrangement that intensified after Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s 2016 separation and the finalization of their divorce in 2024. Sources close to Pitt said he feels “most hurt” by the decision, noting that his children no longer want public association with his surname. Media reports also highlighted Pitt’s public appearance the following day with his girlfriend Inés de Ramón at a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert in Paris, underscoring the personal impact of the family dispute.

The legal move does not affect Pitt’s parental rights but reflects an ongoing rift within the former couple’s six children as they distance themselves from their father’s name and legacy.