Malia Obama is now Malia Ann. The eldest daughter of former President Barack Obama and First Woman Michelle Obama modified her final title from “Obama” to her center title, “Ann,” and her household help her resolution.
Why did Malia Obama change her final title?
Michelle revealed in an interview on the “Sibling Revelry” podcast in June 2025 that Malia had modified her title professionally as a result of she’s “attempting to make her means” as a director with out the affect of her well-known mother and father.
“I imply, it is vitally necessary for my children to really feel like they’ve earned what they’re getting on this planet, and so they don’t need folks to imagine that they don’t work laborious, that they’re simply naturally, simply handed issues,” Michelle stated on the podcast, which is co-hosted by Kate and Oliver Hudson. “They’re very delicate to that — they need to be their very own folks.”
Michelle defined that each Malia and her youthful sister, Sasha, have wished to set themselves aside from the Obama title ever since they have been youngsters. “Our daughters [Malia and Sasha] are 25 and 23. They’re younger grownup girls, however they positively went by way of a interval of their teen years the place it was the push away … [where] you’re attempting to tell apart your self,” Michelle stated.
Malia first hinted she was not going by “Obama” as her final title when she debuted her film, The Coronary heart, on the 2024 Sundance Movie Pageant. The credit of the film, which Malia wrote and directed, listed her as “Malia Ann” as a substitute of “Malia Obama.” Malia’s center title “Ann” additionally holds household significance, because it’s the primary title of Barack’s late mom, Ann Dunham, who died in 1995. “We have been like, they’re nonetheless going to comprehend it’s you, Malia,” Michelle stated. “However we revered the truth that she’s attempting to make her means.”
Michelle additionally defined how her relationship with along with her daughters has modified now that they’re older. “As they’re older, I feel they’re embracing our parenting ideas, … They’ve a clearer understanding of why we did a number of what we did,” she stated. “They perceive us as full human beings now, in the identical means that I feel I found that about my mother and father once I went away to school.”
Barack, for his half, reacted to Malia altering her final title in an episode of “The Pivot Podcast” in October 2024. “I used to be all like, ‘You do know they’ll know who you’re,’ ” Barack stated on the time. “And he or she’s all like, ‘You understand what? I would like them to observe it that first time and never in any means have that affiliation.’ So I feel our daughters exit of their method to not attempt to leverage that.”
He continued, “The problem for [Michelle and me] is letting us give them any assist in any respect,” the previous president stated on the time. “I imply they’re very delicate about these things. They’re very cussed about it.”
Barack additionally revealed to the podcast that each Malia and Sasha haven’t loved the eye they’ve obtained as former First Daughters. “Their angle is, ‘We’re not searching for all that,’ ” he stated. “So that they’re grounded.”
Barack additionally defined how he tried to keep up his household’s non-public life when he was president. “I stated, ‘You’ll be able to observe me round,’ ” he stated. “‘You’ll be able to speak about me. You do no matter you want to do. Go away my youngsters alone as a result of they’ve the best to develop up. They didn’t select this. Allow them to develop up.’ And to the credit score of the press they did depart them alone.”
Malia isn’t the one well-known youngster to alter her final title. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s daughter, Shiloh, filed to drop “Pitt” from her final title on her 18th birthday in Might 2024 amid her estranged relationship along with her father. A supply informed Folks on the time that Brad was “upset” by the transfer.
“He’s conscious and upset that Shiloh dropped his final title. He’s by no means felt extra pleasure than when she was born. He at all times wished a daughter,” the insider stated. “The reminders that he’s misplaced his youngsters, is after all not simple for Brad. He loves his youngsters and misses them. It’s very unhappy.”
The supply continued, “He nonetheless loves all of his children tremendously. This entire course of has been very laborious for the entire household.”