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Kendall Jenner Drops Famous Last Name, Becomes Just Kendall for Modeling Career

Kendall Jenner dropped her last name and is now simply Kendall.
Kendall Jenner dropped her last name and is now simply Kendall.

The reinvention of Kendall Jenner!

The reality star, 18, is a whole new woman, no longer going by the name that made her famous. In the great tradition of Cher, Madonna, Shakira, and Adele, she said goodbye to Kendall Jenner, and hello to simply, Kendall. 

The change was first announced on the website of her modeling agency, The Society Management, which boasts a profile for "Kendall."

While the story broke earlier this week, Kendall herself says fans were just slow on the uptake and she's been a single-namer for months. Kim Kardashian's half-sister said she first tried out the switch when she made her much-publicized debut in the fashion world, walking in shows for Marc Jacobs and Giles.

Related: PHOTOS: Kardashian Family Album

"I did it last year at all the castings too!" she told Us Weekly exclusively. "I only go by my first name."

As to why she dropped the Jenner, Kendall told Us, "It was just my choice."

Related: PHOTOS: Kardashians' Skimpiest Styles

The move may be an attempt to strike out as an individual, moving away from the notoriety of the Kardashian-Jenner clan. 

Featured on the cover of the September issue of Teen Vogue, Kendall recently said that her famous last name was not a benefit to her modeling career. 

Related: PHOTOS: Kardashians' Hot Bikini Bods

"People didn't want to take a chance on me, I think because I was sort of known," she told Teen Vogue. "They were a little bit on the fence about it. Some people might think that what I've done before made it easier for me to get jobs, but it was actually a disadvantage. I had to work even harder."

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