Reuters file

Jermaine Jackson, now Jacksun, in 2012.

Pop singer Jermaine Jackson officially has changed his name to Jermaine Jacksun for "artistic reasons," Los Angeles court officials said on Friday. 

The Jackson 5 member and older brother of pop stars Michael and Janet Jackson filed a petition to change his name in Los Angeles Superior Court in November 2012. The change became official on Wednesday after a hearing, a court spokeswoman said.

The 58-year-old singer, who is on tour in Europe with his three surviving brothers, Jackie, Marlon and Tito, did not attend.

"If Prince and P Diddy can do it, why can't and shouldn't Jermaine?" Jacksun's attorney, Bret D. Lewis, said when the petition originally was filed.

Jermaine Jackson unofficially adopted the name Mohammad Abdul Aziz after converting to Islam in 1989.

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Jermaine Jackson ... or is that Jacksun?

Why would Jermaine Jackson ever want to get rid of his famous surname? He wouldn't. Michael Jackson's older brother filed a name change petition on Tuesday in Los Angeles, E! News confirms, but he's not exactly changing his last name -- just giving the spelling a little spin. 

Say hello to Jermaine Jacksun.

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A spokesperson for Jermaine confirms that he has filed a name change petition for artistic reasons, and explains that "his actual name has not changed. It's just the spelling, one letter. It is a personal choice of Jermaine's and it's not a big deal."

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They add, "Phonetically, it changes nothing. It is something he has chosen to do, and it's fair to say that you cannot blame this one on the boogie, you've got to blame it on the sunshine."

Jermaine is currently touring in Belgium. 

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