Angelina Jolie legally changed her name to drop her surname “Voight” and adopt “Jolie” as her last name, which was originally her middle name given by her parents, Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand. The change was formalized in 2002. This decision was largely seen as a way to establish her own identity separate from her father, Jon Voight, with whom she has had a complex and sometimes strained relationship. The name change symbolized a personal and professional distancing from her father, reflecting her desire to stand independently in her life and career.