Malia Obama, the eldest daughter of former U.S. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, is quietly carving out her own creative path — this time under a new professional name.
She now goes by “Malia Ann,” choosing to drop her well-known last name as she builds a career in film and storytelling.
Her decision isn’t about rejecting her family’s legacy, but rather about finding her own space in an industry where names often carry expectations. By using her middle name, Malia hopes audiences will focus on her talent, not her background. It’s a thoughtful and mature step toward independence — a way of showing that she wants her work to speak for itself.