Margot Robbie has fans spiraling after reports that she legally changed her name began circulating online.
The unexpected move has sparked debate, with some fans questioning why the actress would give up such a recognizable name, while others defend her right to make the decision.
The unexpected move has also sparked fresh discussion about Robbie’s nearly decade-long marriage to Tom Ackerley.
“Changing your… name as a well-known celebrity feels like a bad business decision,” one social media user complained after the reveal.
Margot Robbie’s New Legal Name Sparks Controversy Online As Fans Revisit Her Marriage To Tom Ackerley
Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley’s relationship began long before they became one of Hollywood’s established filmmaking couples.
They met in 2013 while working on the World War II drama Suite Française, in which Robbie played Céline, and Ackerley worked as an assistant director.
Their friendship continued when they moved into a shared house in London with several friends.
Although Margot later admitted that she had developed feelings for Tom while they were still friends, the pair initially kept their relationship quiet.
In 2014, they co-founded LuckyChap Entertainment with their friends Josey McNamara and Sophia Kerr.
Their personal and professional partnership continued to develop, and they married in a private ceremony in Byron Bay, Australia, in December 2016.
The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in late 2024, while largely keeping their family life out of the public eye.
Now, nearly 10 years after their wedding, news of Margot’s name change became public on Wednesday, September 23.
The actress’s new surname was revealed through company filings nearly a decade after her wedding
Documents filed with Companies House, the UK’s corporate register, showed that Robbie had adopted her husband’s surname.
The 36-year-old star is now listed as Margot Elise Ackerley in the business records, replacing Margot Elise Robbie.
The filings concern LuckyChap Entertainment, the production company she runs with her husband and their business partners.
Interestingly, the documents suggest the change may have happened earlier than its September announcement.
The timing nevertheless attracted attention because Robbie and Ackerley will celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary this December.
However, the actress has not publicly confirmed whether their approaching anniversary, the birth of their son, or any business considerations influenced her decision.
She has also not confirmed that she intends to abandon Robbie as her professional name.
While Robbie’s decision is personal, the announcement has prompted a wider conversation about marriage traditions and the value of keeping a recognizable surname.
Fans are divided over Robbie taking her husband’s surname, with some questioning why women are still expected to make the change
Some commenters were particularly attached to the name that has accompanied the actress throughout her Hollywood career.
“Robbie is a much better last name than Ackerley. To each their own, but my personal belief is that whoever in a couple has the cooler name should win lol,” one person wrote.
Another agreed, sharing their own experience: “I kept mine because it’s way cooler than my husband’s. His isn’t bad, it just feels weird in my mouth.”
“I’d assume she’s keeping Robbie professionally, it’s how she’s known and her career. She might simply be choosing to be Margot Ackerly personally and legally,” one commenter suggested.
However, the conversation extended beyond Margot herself, with some questioning why taking a husband’s surname remains such a common expectation for women.
“I’m so tired of women changing their last names after marriage and children almost universally adopting the father’s last name. Can’t believe this is still very much the norm,” one person complained.
Another added, “I can’t believe it’s 2026 and men still rarely take their wife’s last names.”
Robbie’s silence on the name change is consistent with her previously expressed desire to maintain stronger boundaries between her public career and her family.
The Barbie star previously explained why becoming a mother made her more protective of her private life
In a December 2025 interview with British Vogue, the actress said she’d become more cautious about revealing personal information, particularly after welcoming her son.
She explained that she wanted to protect him from unnecessary public attention and described how earlier experiences of being misquoted had changed her approach to interviews.
Margot shared with the outlet, “Earlier in my career, I’d speak more freely in interviews. I’ve just been burnt so many times… When you shift from your 20s to your 30s and beyond, you think, ‘I am going to do things differently. Here are my new boundaries.’”
Robbie is also far from the only Hollywood actress to adopt a spouse’s surname while navigating an established career under another name.
Sarah Michelle Gellar reportedly became Sarah Michelle Prinze in 2007, five years after marrying Freddie Prinze Jr., while continuing to work professionally under Gellar.
Portia de Rossi similarly adopted Ellen DeGeneres’ surname in 2010, two years after their wedding, becoming Portia Lee James DeGeneres legally.
More recently, actress Millie Bobby Brown adopted her husband Jake Bongiovi’s last name, legally changing her name to Millie Bobby Bongiovi last year.
As of this writing, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star has not personally confirmed the name change.
“This seems like a poor professional decision. Her husband should change his last name to Robbie instead,” fumed one netizen
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