Shiloh Jolie’s decision to drop her father Brad Pitt's last name as her surname had reasons behind it.

Angelina Jolie’s daughter’s lawyer, Peter Levine, revealed in a statement to Page Six that the teen went for the name-drop after “painful events”, and never took out a newspaper ad to announce it.

“Shiloh Jolie did not take out an ‘ad’ announcing any name change, and any press reporting that is inaccurate,” Levine told the outlet.

“As Shiloh’s attorney, I am required to publish a legal notice because the law in California requires that of anyone who wants to change their name. That legal notice was published in the Los Angeles Times, as is required.”

The attorney said that the media “should be more careful in their reporting, especially when covering a young adult who has made an independent and significant decision following painful events, and is merely following legal process.”

Levine’s statement came after several publications reported that the legal notice was published in a newspaper by the 18-year-old.