Miley Cyrus is going mononym - and it's hitting close to home. The Grammy winner, 33, has removed her last name "Cyrus" from her social media, now branding herself simply as "Miley." It's a move that puts her in the league as Madonna, Cher and Beyoncé. But for dad Billy Ray Cyrus, it's personal.
"Billy is deeply hurt," a family source confided in Rob Shutter. "He's incredibly proud that Miley has become bigger than the Cyrus name. But he gave his daughter that name. Watching her publicly decide she doesn't need it anymore feels like she's leaving a piece of him behind." Billy Ray addressed it publicly with a throwback photo featuring Miley and son Braison, writing: "Family means more than ever now." He added that he'd always called her "Miley" anyway - "never needing the surname himself." Still, insiders believe the rebrand stings.
"Billy suddenly understands how Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise must feel," said the source. "Whatever happens inside a family, watching your child publicly stop using your name is emotional. You can tell yourself it's branding, but you're still their dad." The source referenced the other Hollywood families where kids have distanced from their family names.
Several of Pitt's children have stopped using "Pitt," while Cruise's daughter Suri has publicly used Suri Noelle. For Miley, the decision is not about cutting ties. It's about status and personal growth. "She believes she's reached Madonna, Cher and Beyoncé territory," added the insider. "One name is enough."