Jolie's adopted children can take Pitt's name

A judge granted a request Thursday by actress Angelina Jolie to change the names of her two adopted children to reflect that actor Brad Pitt intends to become their adoptive father.

Neither Jolie nor Pitt attended the hearing.

Superior Court Judge Linda Lefkowitz approved the motion during a closed hearing about a month after lawyers for Jolie filed the paperwork.

“The court granted the name change,” attorney Evan Spiegel, who represents the actress, told reporters outside court.

He did not take questions.

Pitt’s publicist, Cindy Guagenti, said on January 11 that Jolie is pregnant with Pitt’s child.

The names of the adopted children will become Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt and Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt.

Zahara celebrated her first birthday on January 8. Maddox, a boy, is four.

The 41-year-old actor accompanied Jolie, his Mr & Mrs Smith co-star, when she went to Ethiopia in July to adopt Zahara.

In 2002, Jolie, adopted Maddox in Cambodia where she filmed Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Pitt divorced Jennifer Aniston last October after nearly five years of marriage.

Jolie is divorced from actors Billy Bob Thornton and Jonny Lee Miller.