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What’s in a name? From Miley Cyrus to Millie Bongiovi, Celebs who dropped their surnames
From Miley Cyrus choosing to go by Miley to members of the Jolie-Pitt family dropping their surname; checkout celebrities who choose to drop their surnames
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A name can carry a legacy, a family identity, and sometimes, baggage. From Miley Cyrus choosing to go simply by Miley to members of the Jolie-Pitt family stepping away from their famous surname, several celebrities have recently made changes to the names they want the world to know them by. Take a dekko
Miley Cyrus drops Cyrus
On August 31, the American singer dropped “Cyrus” from her social media handles and began presenting herself simply as Miley. The change came alongside the announcement of her 10th album, Bass Persuades, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. While Miley has not publicly explained the decision, her father Billy Ray Cyrus described it as a “natural progression.”
Ex-partners Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s kids drop father’s surname
Academy Award-winning actor Angelina Jolie and Oscar-winning actor Brad Pitt began dating while filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2004. The duo who got married in August 2014, separated in September 2016 after 12 years together and two years of marriage.
Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt drops fathers surname
Ex-partners Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s daughter Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt formally moved to drop “Pitt” from her surname in June this year, filing a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court. She changed her name to Zahara Marley Jolie. As part of the legal process, notices of the name-change petition were published in a local newspaper over four consecutive weeks, with the notices appearing from June 16 into July 7.
The move came after Zahara had already been publicly using her mother’s surname for some time. In November 2023, during her induction into the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Spelman College, she introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie.” She continued to use the name publicly, including at her Spelman graduation on May 17, 2026, where she was introduced as Zahara Marley
Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt — Maddox Chivan Jolie
Zahara’s elder brother Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt followed a similar path. In July 2026, reports revealed that he had filed to legally change his name to Maddox Chivan Jolie, removing “Pitt” from his surname.
Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt — Vivienne Marcheline Jolie
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s youngest daughter, Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt, formally filed to drop “Pitt” from her surname in July 2026, shortly after turning 18. She filed the petition on July 20, with People first reporting the move on July 22. The required legal notices were subsequently published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal from July 24 to August 14. Vivienne had already been publicly using “Jolie” professionally, having been credited as Vivienne Jolie in the 2024 The Outsiders Playbill.
Millie Bobby Brown changes her name to Millie Bonnie Bongiovi
For Millie Bobby Brown, the name change came with a change in family identity. In December 2025, the actor revealed that she had officially changed her name following her marriage to Jake Bongiovi. She dropped both “Bobby” and “Brown” and took the name Millie Bonnie Bongiovi.
Nicolas Cage — Nicolas Cage
For Nicolas Cage, the decision to move away from a famous surname came much earlier, but became official only recently. Born Nicolas Kim Coppola, the actor adopted “Cage” professionally decades ago, distancing himself from his famous Coppola family background. In May 2026, Cage revealed that he had legally changed his name in 2025, making official the identity he had long used professionally.
He discussed the decision publicly in 2026 saying: “I’m Nick Cage in life, and I’m Nick Cage on camera” and adding that he wanted to be “the patriarch of my own little family” rather than the “clown cousin” of Hollywood royalty.
Christina Flores to Christina Milian
Born Christina Flores, the actor and singer adopted her mother’s maiden name, Milian, early in her career after finding that casting directors’ perceptions of her Latina surname were limiting her opportunities.
In January 2026, Christina revealed that the change was “absolutely a business decision” and said it ultimately “changed the trajectory” of her career.
