What’s in a name? Well, for the children of celebrity parents, a famous last name can open doors to a world of opportunity.

‘Nepo’, a shorthand for ‘nepotism,’ refers to the children of well-known or powerful figures who benefit professionally from their parents’ fame. This advantage is often seen in fields such as entertainment, sports, business, or modeling.

In recent years, nepo babies have faced significant criticism, as many argue that their privileged backgrounds afford them opportunities that more disadvantaged individuals might deserve more.

To escape this criticism or distance themselves from their famous lineage, some of these celebrity offspring have opted to abandon their recognizable surnames in a bid to establish their own careers.

Most recently, Malia Obama – the eldest daughter of former US president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama – dropped her last name when she premiered her short film at Sundance Film Festival in 2024.

The 26-year-old was instead listed as ‘Malia Ann’ – opting to use her middle name – in the credits of her movie, The Heart, which she made with megastar Donald Glover.

Meanwhile, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s daughter Shiloh Jolie debuted her new name during a rare public appearance in Los Angeles last week.

The 19-year-old was simply introduced as ‘Shi’ as she unveiled her choreographed dance routine at an Isabel Marant fashion event. 

Malia Ann Obama, 26, dropped her last name when she premiered her short film at Sundance Film Festival in 2024, instead going by ‘Malia Ann’ in the credits

The eldest daughter of President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama has attempted to shed her famous identity and forge a new path. The Obama family is pictured above in 2008

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s daughter Shiloh Jolie, 19, recently debuted her new moniker ‘Shi’ after legally dropping her father’s surname last year

The name change comes one year after she legally dropped Pitt from her last name – she officially filed the petition on her 18th birthday.

However, this so-called trend of nepo babies ditching their famous surnames isn’t new.

When actor Nicholas Cage (born Nicolas Coppola) changed his name early in his career so as not to be as easily associated with his director uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, he was able to fly somewhat under the radar – there was no social media to remind everyone who his relatives are.

Louisa Jacobson, The Gilded Age star and youngest daughter of Oscar winner Meryl Streep and sculptor Don Gummer, goes by her middle name to avoid confusion with another actress named Louisa Gummer.

Even Shiloh’s own mother changed her name from Angelina Voight – the last name of her controversy-ridden father, actor Jon Voight – and legally adopted the surname ‘Jolie’ in 2002.

Undoubtedly, these celebrity children of the past still managed to chart their own successful paths, despite adopting a new moniker. 

But according to brand strategist Rachael Kay Albers, when it comes to celebrity children like Malia and Shiloh – whose personal lives have been in the spotlight since their early adolescence – it’s far more difficult to shed their former self.

‘Nepo babies are changing their names for two main reasons: they want to stand on their own two feet – artistically, career-wise – or they want to live a quiet life and they don’t want to be in the limelight,’ Albers told the Daily Mail.

Nicolas Cage (pictured) was born Nicolas Coppola and is the nephew of The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola

Meryl Streep’s youngest daughter Louisa Jacobson (far right) changed her name to avoid confusion with another actress named Louisa Gummer

Angelina Jolie legally changed her name from Angelina Voight, the last name of her actor father Jon Voight, in 2002

‘What’s unique about Malia and Shiloh is this generational difference,’ she explained.

‘The coverage surrounding these kids has changed so dramatically, and with the internet and the constant access to celebrity kids, it means when we look back at the celebrity children of Boomers compared to Gen Z or Gen Alpha kids, we’re watching it happen in real time.’

Former first lady Michelle Obama recently broke her silence on her eldest daughter’s name change, revealing on her Sibling Revelry podcast that her daughters Malia and Sasha started ‘pushing away’ from her and her husband as teens.

The mother of two said she believes her daughters distanced themselves because they wanted to ‘distinguish themselves’ from their famous parents.

‘They’re still doing that, and you guys know this of children with parents who are known,’ Obama said.

‘It’s very important for my kids to feel like they’ve earned what they are getting in the world.’

Albers agreed that the increasing trend is in an effort to transform their identity away from how they’ve been perceived by the world their whole lives.

‘I think what we’re observing here with this new breed of celebrity kids is when they go out there and change their name, it’s not because they want to lose the connection to their parents,’ she said.

Brand strategist Rachael Kay Albers reveals there’s a ‘generational difference’ with celebrity offspring who are changing their last name, compared to nepo babies of the past

Michelle said about her daughters Malia (left) and Sasha (center): ‘You’re trying to distinguish yourself. It’s very important for my kids to feel like they’ve earned what they are getting in the world’

Pictured in 2015: The mother of two noted that she’s found that celebrity kids often try to distance themselves from their famous parents

‘It’s more that we’re actively watching this person reshape their identity in public.’

This ‘rebrand’, as Albers calls it, can be hard when your life is constantly being publicized and dissected by the media. In Shiloh’s case, she’s sharing the spotlight with her parents’ bitter divorce battle.

Exes Jolie and Brad Pitt officially finalized their messy divorce in December 2024, eight years after the actress filed for a dissolution of marriage in September 2016.

Since then, the private details surrounding their split have been made public, including abuse accusations against Pitt stemming from an incident on a private jet, in which all six of their children were present.

Pitt has continued to deny the claims of abuse and was cleared by law enforcement following an investigation.

Pitt remains largely estranged from his children in the wake of the divorce, and Shiloh wasn’t the only one to change her name – both Zahara, 20, and Vivienne, 16, have publicly or professionally dropped Pitt’s last name.

The private details surrounding Jolie and Pitt’s divorce have been made public ever since the actress filed for dissolution of marriage in September 2016

Pitt and Jolie’s daughter Zahara, 20, introduced herself as ‘Zahara Jolie’ during a sorority event at Spelman College last year

Vivienne, 16, was listed as ‘Vivienne Jolie’ in the Playbill program for The Outsiders, where she served as producer’s assistant

‘When we entangle our names with our livelihoods, all is well and good if you build a following and grow a career with that name,’ Albers said. 

‘But if you are transforming, if your family is transforming, suddenly now you’re really imprisoned by your name and its associations with your family and all of the press.’

Much like a real-life company rebrand, such as Dunkin’ Donuts now going by Dunkin’ or the infamous change from Twitter to X, the decision to rebrand yourself isn’t always accepted by the general public.

‘Any time a brand changes its name and changes its logo or slogan, the brand is betting on the idea that the audience is gonna go along with it. But sometimes there’s backlash,’ Albers said.

Indeed, the decision to publicly distance yourself from the same family that got you where you are today should be regarded with some courage.

But the real challenge will be whether the masses choose to accept you by this altered identity.

Albers said, after all, ‘They’ll never forget you’re Malia Obama.’