Kelly Clarkson Files to Legally Drop Famous Last Name

Kelly Clarkson is pushing for a fresh start, on the heels of her contentious divorce from Brandon Blackstock ... and it includes dropping her last name.

The singer filed court docs this week to simply go by Kelly Brianne. Brianne had previously been her middle name, but now it's getting an upgrade to last name status. In the docs, Kelly said it's more fitting of who she is now.

The switcheroo comes amid another big change for KB ... she'd been married for 7 years to Brandon before filing for divorce in June of 2020. While they were together her legal last name had been Blackstock, although she professionally remained Clarkson.

Kelly has infamously had a tumultuous relationship with her father, Stephen Michael Clarkson -- although, we can't confirm that's what's behind her legally dropping Clarkson.

Her powerful 2015 ballad, "Piece by Piece," is partially about her father's neglect during her childhood.

Since Kelly kept using Clarkson throughout her marriage, we presume she'll continue to do so even though she's now legally Kelly Brianne.