Maddox and Zahara become Pitts

Angelina Jolie’s son, 4-year-old Maddox has reportedly been calling Brad Pitt “daddy� for months. Now little Maddox can officially consider himself part of the Pitt clan. A judge in Los Angeles has granted a request that Jolie made to change Maddox and his one-year-old sister Zahara’s names to include Pitt’s last name.

The name change is meant to reflect the fact that Pitt is in the process of adopting the two children. Once final, Zahara and Maddox’s full names will be Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt and Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt. Neither Pitt nor Jolie attended the routine hearing. The only comment that Angelina’s lawyer, Evan Spiegel would make was, “The court granted the name change."

From People Magazine

It's official: Angelina Jolie's children, Maddox, 4, and Zahara, 1, have the last name Jolie-Pitt.

In a Los Angeles courtroom today, a judge approved the couple's name-change request. "I can confirm that Ms. Jolie's petition was granted today," said her lawyer, Evan Spiegel.

Last month Brad Pitt, 42, announced his plans to legally adopt Jolie's two children. Changing Maddox and Zahara's names is just one more step for the pair who are also expecting a child together.

"It's the idea that you love one another and you want to create a family together," a friend of the couple tells PEOPLE. "What's beautiful is you can do it by birth (or) by adoption."

This latest news caps a life-changing year during which the couple went from costars (in last summer's Mr. and Mrs. Smith) to supercouple to, finally, Mommy and Daddy.

When they are not traveling the world, Jolie, Pitt, Maddox and Zahara live in Pitt's oceanside Malibu home

USWEEKLY

SANTA MONICA -- It's official! Brad Pitt, 42 is a father -- by name, at least! This morning Judge Linda K. Lefkowitz granted the petition to change the names of Angelina Jolie's, 30, two children to Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt and Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt at the Los Angeles Superior Court West, Santa Monica. 'I see no reason not to grant the name change,' Lefkowitz told the court. Jolie's attorney Evan Spiegel of Lavely and Singer also confirmed the official name change to Us. Jolie filed the petition for name change on December. 2, 2OO5 on behalf of her two minor children. Pitt's petition to become the children's adoptive father still awaits court approval. Pitt and Jolie are expecting their first biological child later this year.