Key Takeaways
- Suri Cruise, now a 20-year-old student at Carnegie Mellon, has legally changed her name to Suri Noelle, dropping her father Tom Cruise’s last name.
- Her new name first surfaced at her 2024 high school graduation and is now on her Pennsylvania voter registration, signaling a formal break from the Cruise surname.
- The move mirrors a broader trend of celebrity kids like Shiloh, Vivienne, Zahara, and Maddox choosing Jolie over Pitt, while Holmes publicly says she’s “proud” and “happy” for her daughter as she starts this new chapter.
Suri Cruise has officially cut legal ties to one of Hollywood's most recognizable surnames. The 20-year-old daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes has legally changed her last name from Cruise to Noelle. The move makes official a decision she first hinted at in 2024, when she graduated from high school under the name Suri Noelle rather than her father's famous surname.
According to People, the Carnegie Mellon University student registered to vote in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, during her freshman year under her new legal name. Noelle, Holmes' middle name, replaces Cruise entirely on the registration.
Suri's name change also reflects a growing trend among celebrity children distancing themselves from their famous parents' surnames. Over the past two years, four of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's children have publicly or legally dropped "Pitt."
Shiloh Jolie officially removed the name after turning 18 in 2024, while Vivienne Jolie filed court papers in 2026 after already using "Vivienne Jolie" on Broadway.
The legal update comes after Holmes celebrated her daughter's graduation and transition to college with rare public comments. Speaking to Town & Country, the actress said, "I'm proud of my daughter. Of course, I will miss the close proximity, but I'm really proud of her and I'm happy."
Holmes added, "I remember being this age, this time of beginnings. It's exciting to learn about yourself, and I loved that time, so it makes me happy to think about it like that."
Tom Cruise and Holmes welcomed Suri in April 2006 before marrying later that year. They divorced in 2012, and Holmes has raised their daughter largely outside the glare of Hollywood, while Cruise has continued to headline blockbuster franchises, including Mission: Impossible.
