Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s daughter, Shiloh, has officially changed her name, dropping “Pitt” and legally becoming Shiloh Jolie. The 18-year-old, who was born Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, filed for the name change on her birthday in May, and it has now been confirmed by PEOPLE.
Shiloh is one of six children shared by Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 60, including Maddox, 22, Zahara, 19, Pax, 20, and 15-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.
The process to change her name hit a snag in July when her hearing was postponed due to an incomplete background check. “Unfortunately, the court was unable to complete the background check ahead of today’s hearing, so the hearing was rescheduled for August 19,” Shiloh’s lawyer, Peter Levine, explained in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. He noted that everyone requesting a name change must undergo a background check conducted by the court clerk, and due to a clerical error, Shiloh’s hearing had to be continued.
In the meantime, Shiloh proceeded with the next required step in California’s name-change process, which involved publishing an announcement in the Los Angeles Times. According to California law, anyone seeking a legal name change must have the legal forms published in a newspaper for one month before a judge can approve the petition. The notice of Shiloh’s name change appeared in the legal section of the paper as required.
Shortly after Shiloh’s petition was filed, a source close to Brad Pitt told PEOPLE that the actor was aware of the name change and expressed his feelings about it. “He’s aware and upset that Shiloh dropped his last name,” the source revealed. “The reminders that he’s lost his children are, of course, not easy for Brad. He loves his children and misses them.”
The legal name change marks a significant moment for Shiloh as she steps into adulthood. While the decision to drop “Pitt” from her name may have been difficult for her father, it underscores Shiloh’s desire to establish her own identity.