Brad Pitt's surname is becoming increasingly rare within his own family after daughter Vivienne filed legal paperwork to remove 'Pitt' from her name. The request makes her the fourth child of Pitt and Angelina Jolie to formally distance themselves from their father's surname, turning what was once an isolated decision into a growing family pattern.
The filing also adds another chapter to the long running story surrounding one of Hollywood's most famous former couples. Nearly a decade after Pitt and Jolie separated, their children's decisions continue to draw attention as more of them choose to carry only their mother's surname.
Vivienne Files To Become Vivienne Jolie
Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, 18, has submitted documents to Los Angeles Superior Court requesting that her legal name be changed to Vivienne Marcheline Jolie. Court records state that the reason for the request is simply listed as 'personal'.
Her middle name, Marcheline, honours Angelina Jolie's late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who died in 2007 after battling ovarian and breast cancer. If the court approves the petition, Vivienne will officially remove 'Pitt' from her legal identity.
Another Child Drops Pitt
Vivienne is not the first of the former couple's children to take this step. Instead, she joins a growing list of siblings who have either legally removed or publicly stopped using the Pitt surname.
Shiloh successfully changed her surname shortly after turning 18 in 2024. Maddox later filed legal paperwork requesting the same change and had already been credited professionally as 'Maddox Jolie' while working on the film 'Couture'. Earlier this year, Zahara also requested a legal name change after previously introducing herself publicly as Zahara Marley Jolie.
The Change Started Earlier
Although the legal paperwork is new, many fans noticed that Vivienne quietly stopped using 'Pitt' long before this week's filing. In 2024, she was credited simply as 'Vivienne Jolie' in the Playbill for the Broadway production of The Outsiders, which she helped produce alongside her mother.
Her twin brother Knox has also appeared to move in a similar direction, although he has not formally changed his name. Earlier this year, he reportedly used 'Knox Jolie' on his high school diploma after graduating from Fusion Academy in Los Angeles.
The Family Rift Still Casts a Shadow
The latest filing arrives years after Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's highly publicised split in 2016. Although their divorce was finalised in December 2024 following more than eight years of legal proceedings, tensions surrounding the family have continued to attract headlines.
Sources close to the situation have offered sharply different views. One source claimed the children have been unfairly pushed away from Pitt, while another insisted the now adult children are making their own decisions based on their personal experiences and deserve to have those choices respected.
More Children Choose Jolie
With Vivienne's petition, four of the six Jolie-Pitt children have now formally requested to remove their father's surname. While Pax has not filed legal paperwork, reports suggest he remains closer to members of Pitt's extended family than to the Oscar winning actor himself.
The family's eldest children have each taken different paths, but the repeated choice to adopt the Jolie surname has become impossible to ignore. It has transformed individual decisions into a wider family trend that continues to unfold in public.
The Pitt Name Fades
Brad Pitt remains one of Hollywood's biggest stars, but within his own family his surname is steadily disappearing. Each new filing has added to the growing impression that the Jolie name has become the identity most of the children now wish to carry.
Whether Vivienne's request is approved in November or not, the filing reflects a broader shift that has developed over several years. As more of the former couple's children embrace the Jolie surname, Brad Pitt's famous family name continues to fade from the next generation.
