Lindsay Lohan dropping last name

'Lindsay is dropping the Lohan and just going by Lindsay,' Dina Lohan told the celebrity website PopEater. 'Plus, me and [younger daughter] Ali will be officially changing our last names back to my maiden name, Sullivan.'

The move is a way for Lohan, or rather Lindsay, to distance herself from her estranged father Michael Lohan, who was charged this week with assaulting his girlfriend, Dina Lohan said. It it also designed to reinforce Lindsay's status as an iconic star who can be recognized by her first name alone, a family source added.

'So many of the greatest people in showbiz are known by just their first name. Look at Oprah and Beyonce. Now you can add Lindsay to that list ... And it's a way for them all to start over. No one in the family want anything to do with Lindsay's father anymore and that includes sharing a last name.'

It's unclear if the name change will have the desired effect on her career, which has been in freefall since 2008 as the former Disney child star, 24, fell under the spell of drugs and alcohol. She is currently facing theft charges relating to her alleged stealing of a 2,500-dollar necklace from a jewellery store and faces up to three years in prison if convicted.