It seems like Zahara Jolie has set an example for her siblings as recent news broke that her younger sister Shiloh has petitioned to legally change her last name from “Jolie-Pitt” to just “Jolie”. Zahara was the first child of Brad and Angelina to drop Pitt from their name when she announced herself at her probate back in November.

Zahara crossed the Mu Pi chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated at Spelman College last fall. During her probate, she introduced herself as Zahara Marley Jolie noticeably leaving off the last name of her movie star father, Brad Pitt.

On May 27, which happened to be her 18th birthday, Shiloh submitted a petition at a Los Angeles Court to remove the hyphenated “Pitt” part of her last name Jolie-Pitt to be known as Shiloh Nouvel Jolie. Their younger sister Vivienne also took Zahara’s lead when she was credited as “Vivienne Jolie” as she co-produced the Broadway production of The Outsiders, alongside her mother.

Brad and Angelina met back in 2005 on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. After years of dating the couple married on August 14, 2014. Just two years following their marriage, Jolie filed for divorce on September 19, 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. Together the couple share six children— Maddox Chivan, Pax Thien, Zahara Marley, Shiloh Nouvel, and twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline.

In a countersuit against Pitt, Jolie alleged that he verbally and physically abused her and their children on a plane in 2016. Since their separation, it seems that none of the Jolie children want anything to do with their father despite his attempts to make amends.

Fans and followers of Zahara picked up on a potential snub from her estranged father as news broke of her sister’s name change. A source close to Pitt stated that the actor was deeply saddened by Shiloh’s choice to change her name, they told People Magazine.

“He's never felt more joy than when she was born. He always wanted a daughter.”

Many are calling out Pitt for his choice of words as Zahara was adopted from Ethiopia by Jolie in 2005 and Pitt in 2006 before the birth of Shiloh making her his first daughter. Zahara is not the only adopted child the couple share. Her older brother Maddox was adopted from Cambodia in 2002 and their brother Pax was adopted from Vietnam in 2007. Pitt legally adopted Maddox and Pax in 2006 and 2008. Social media comments are pushing Pitt to acknowledge all of his children, their choices, and their feelings equally.

Angelina Jolie has been vocal over the years about making sure her adopted children stay connected to their culture and homeland. They frequently traveled to the countries from which they were born and hired homeschool teachers from different ethnic backgrounds. She wanted all of her children to be invested in the native culture of each of their siblings.

Zahara entered Spelman College in the fall of 2022. Jolie was more than ecstatic with her daughter’s decision to become a Spelmanite in a social media post last July.

“Zahara with her Spelman sisters! Congratulations to all new students starting this year. A very special place and an honor to have a family member as a new Spelman girl,” she wrote.

For now, only the Jolie women have taken the liberty of changing their surnames. Maddox, Pax, and Knox still go by “Jolie-Pitt”. It will be interesting to see if they follow in their sister’s footsteps.