A pseudonym is a fictitious name used to conceal someone’s real name. The word pseudonym literally means “false name” and comes from the Greek word pseudōnymos meaning “having a false name” or “under a false name.” You may be surprised to know that the names of your favorite authors, actors and musicians are, in fact, pseudonyms. Some tweak their names or go by nicknames while others create whole new personas. The pseudonym of an author is also known as a pen name and the pseudonym of an actor is a stage name or screen name. A pseudonym can also be an alias used by people or groups.
Pen Names and Pseudonyms
Some authors become known by their pseudonyms while others are eventually known by their real names. In the past, it was more difficult for women to get published, so many of them went by male names or published anonymously. Generally, modern authors change their names for anonymity, memorability or to separate their work from themselves. Author Joyce Carol Oates taught a writing workshop at Princeton University and would have students write under pseudonyms because “it allows them a lot of freedom they don't have ordinarily." She also explained that:
"I wanted to write under a pseudonym because I really wanted to have a separate identity for those novels — suspense, mystery, thrillers."
This list of pen names with the author’s pseudonym listed first and their real name listed second is loaded with great pseudonym examples.
A. A. Fair - Erle Stanley Gardner
Aaron Wolfe - Dean Koontz
Acton Bell - Anne Brontë
Anne Rice - Howard Allen O'Brien
Boz - Charles Dickens
Brynjolf Bjarme - Henrik Ibsen
Clive Hamilton and N. W. Clerk - C. S. Lewis
Currer Bell - Charlotte Brontë
David Agnew - A group of writers and producers for Doctor Who
Dear Abby - Jeanne Phillips and Pauline Esther Friedman Phillips
Dr. Seuss - Theodor Seuss Geisel
Edgar Box - Gore Vidal
Elia - Charles Lamb
Ellis Bell - Emily Bronte
Geoffrey Crayon, Jonathan Oldstyle and Diedrich Knickerbocker - Washington Irving
George Eliot - Mary Ann Evans
Lemony Snicket - Daniel Handler
Lemuel Gulliver, Isaac Bickerstaff and M. B. Draper - Jonathan Swift
Lewis Carroll - Charles Dodgson
Mark Twain - Samuel Clemens
Mary Westmacott - Agatha Christie
Moliere - Jean-Baptiste Poquelin
Nora Roberts - Eleanor Marie Robertson
O. Henry - William Sydney Porter
Paul French - Isaac Asimov
Richard Bachman - Stephen King
Robert Galbraith - J.K. Rowling
Rosamond Smith and Lauren Kelly - Joyce Carol Oats
Victoria Lucas - Sylvia Plath
Voltaire - François-Marie Arouet
Stage and Screen Pseudonyms
Many of your favorite actors and actresses are known by their pseudonyms, also known as stage names. In old Hollywood, actors needed to have a catchy name that would look good on a marquee. Even in more recent years entertainers often change or alter their names to be more marketable.
Alan Alda - Alphonso D'Abruzzo
Audrey Hepburn - Audrey Kathleen Ruston
Barbara Stanwyck - Ruby Stevens
Ben Kingsley - Krishna Pandit Bhanji
Brad Pitt - William Bradley Pitt
Bruce Lee - Lee Jun-fan
Cary Grant - Archibald Alec Leach
Dorothy Lamour - Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton
Elvis Costello - Declan McManus
George Burns - Nathan Birnbaum
Helen Mirren - Helen Mironoff
Joaquin Phoenix - Joaquín Rafael Bottom
John Wayne - Marion Morrison
Julianne Moore - Julie Anne Smith
LL Cool J - James Todd Smith III
Marilyn Monroe - Norma Jeane Mortenson
Michael Caine - Maurice Joseph Micklewhite
Michael Landon - Eugene Maurice Orowitz
Mindy Kaling - Vera Mindy Chokalingam
Natalie Portman - Natalie Hershlag
Natalie Wood - Natalie Zakharenko
Nicolas Cage - Nicolas Kim Coppola
Nina Dobrev - Nikolina Kamenova Dobreva
Portia de Rossi - Amanda Lee Rogers
Queen Latifah - Dana Elaine Owens
Rock Hudson - Roy Harold Scherer Jr.
Spike Lee - Shelton Lee
Tina Fey - Elizabeth Stamatina Fey
Whoopi Goldberg - Caryn Johnson
Vin Diesel - Mark Sinclair Vincent
Woody Allen - Allan Stewart Konigsberg
Musician Pseudonyms
It’s no secret that many musicians go by catchy stage names — or just one name. Nevertheless, some of these may surprise you.
Axl Rose - William Bruce Rose Jr.
Bruno Mars - Peter Gene Hernandez
Cardi B - Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar
Cher - Cherilyn Sarkisian
Drake - Aubrey Drake Graham
Elton John - Reginald Kenneth Dwight
Eminem - Marshall Mathers III
Faith Hill - Audrey Faith Perry McGraw
Frank Ocean - Christopher Edwin Breaux
Freddie Mercury - Farrokh Bulsara
Gene Simmons - Chaim Witz
John Legend - John Roger Stephens
Katy Perry - Katheryn Hudson
Lady Gaga - Stefani Germanotta
Lana Del Rey - Elizabeth Woolridge Grant
Miley Cyrus - Destiny Hope Cyrus
Nicki Minaj - Onika Tanya Maraj
Rihanna - Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Shania Twain - Eilleen Regina Edwards
Snoop Dog - Calvin Broadus Jr.
Sting - Gordon Sumner
Tina Turner - Anna Mae Bullock
Sports Pseudonyms
Many sports stars are known by their pseudonyms or nicknames.
Casey Stengel - Charles Dillon Stengel
Chi Chi Rodriguez - Juan Antonio Rodríguez
Dida - Nélson de Jesus Silva
Fuzzy Zoeller - Frank Urban Zoeller Jr.
Khaosai Galaxy - Sura Saenkham
Mercury Morris - Eugene Edward Morris
Mo Martin - Melissa Martin
Pelé - Edson Arantes do Nascimento
Rocket Ismail - Raghib Ismail
Smush Parker - William Henry Parker
Sparky Anderson - George Lee Anderson
Tiger Woods - Eldrick Tont Woods
Pseudonyms Used by Criminals
Many infamous criminals have been known by their pseudonyms. In particular, some of them were known only by their pseudonyms until they got caught.
Baby Face Nelson - Lester Joseph Gillis
Billy the Kid or William H. Bonney - Henry McCarty
Blackbeard - Edward Teach
Bugsy Siegel - Benjamin Siegel
Butch Cassidy - Robert LeRoy Parker
Lucky Luciano - Charles Luciano
Legs Diamond or Gentleman Jack - Jack Thomas Diamond
Machine Gun Kelly - George Kelly Barnes
Meyer Lansky - Meier Suchowlański
Pretty Boy Floyd - Charles Arthur Floyd
The Sundance Kid - Harry Alonzo Longabaugh
Waxey Gordon - Irving Wexler
Wearside Jack - John Samuel Humble
Pseudonyms Used by Fictional Characters
Almost all superheroes take on an alternate identity, but there are numerous examples of fictional characters who are known by their pseudonyms.
Aramis - René d'Herblay from The Three Musketeers
Art Vandelay - George Costanza from Seinfeld
Athos - Le Comte de La Fère from The Three Musketeers
Barbie - Barbara Millicent Roberts
Batman - Bruce Wayne from DC Comics
Cap’n Crunch - Horatio Magellan Crunch
Cookie Monster - Sid from Sesame Street
Darth Vader - Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars
Doctor - name for various incarnations of the protagonist of Doctor Who
Heisenberg - Walter White from Breaking Bad
Hound - Sandor Clegane from Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire
Jughead Jones - Forsythe P. Jones III from Archie Comics
Kylo Ren - Ben Solo from Star Wars
Lord Voldemort - Tom Riddle from Harry Potter
M - codename held by Sir Miles Messervy and other characters from James Bond
Mr. Peanut - Bartholomew Richard Fitzgerald-Smythe Peanut
Mr. Underhill - Frodo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings
Porthos - Monsieur du Vallon from The Three Musketeers
Q - codename held by Major Boothroyd and other characters from James Bond
Saul Goodman - James “Jimmy” McGill from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul
Scarlet Pimpernel - Sir Percy Blakeney from The Scarlet Pimpernel
Shadow - Lamont Cranston from The Shadow series
Shaggy - Norville Rogers from Scooby-Doo
Spider-Man - Peter Parker from Marvel Comics
Superman - Clark Kent (originally Kal-El) from DC Comics
V - unnamed protagonist of V for Vendetta
The Wizard of Oz - Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmanuel Ambroise Diggs from The Wizard of Oz
Winnie the Pooh - Edward Bear from Winnie the Pooh
Wolverine (also Logan and Weapon X) - James Howlett from Marvel Comics
Zorro - Don Diego de la Vega from various incarnations of Zorro
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