Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Son Knox Drops Pitt Surname from Diploma Weeks Before Turning 18

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s son Knox has dropped “Pitt” from his last name on his high school diploma, according to a source quoted by Page Six. The teenager, who turns 18 on July 12, reportedly used the name “Knox Jolie” on his certificate after graduating from Fusion Academy in Los Angeles earlier this month. He attended the ceremony with Angelina Jolie, his older brother Pax, older sister Zahara, and twin sister Vivienne.

The name change comes amid the long-running family rift that has unfolded since Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s highly publicized split in 2016. A second source claimed Jolie has been pleased by her children’s decisions to distance themselves from their father, while a third source said the family spent years in therapy after the events that led to the divorce. That source added that the children’s relationship with Pitt has been affected by harm and broken trust, though those claims were not independently verified in the report.

Knox also drew attention for an energetic graduation speech. In a clip from the ceremony, he told classmates and families that he would be fighting later that night at Total Sonic Knockout 5 at 12:45 a.m. He then shouted that he would “knock ‘em” out, prompting cheers from the crowd. The speech came hours before his Muay Thai showdown.

Knox’s decision follows similar steps taken by some of his siblings. Zahara filed paperwork on June 9 to be known as Zahara Jolie rather than Zahara Jolie-Pitt. Shiloh successfully petitioned a Los Angeles court in 2024 to legally remove “Pitt” from her surname after turning 18. Maddox also filed legal paperwork last month seeking to drop “Pitt” from his last name, citing personal reasons. He had previously used the name “Maddox Jolie” professionally, including in credits related to the film “Couture,” on which he worked as an assistant director and which starred Angelina Jolie.

Brad Pitt finalized his divorce from Angelina Jolie in December 2024, ending more than eight years of legal proceedings. Angelina filed to dissolve the marriage in September 2016. The former couple shares six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne.

The latest name change adds another public chapter to the ongoing family divide. While the children are now adults or nearing adulthood and are able to make their own decisions, the family’s personal issues continue to attract attention because of the high-profile nature of Pitt and Jolie’s separation. Knox’s use of “Jolie” on his diploma appears consistent with the choices made by several of his siblings, reflecting a broader shift in how the children are identifying themselves publicly.