If you’ve decided to use a pen name, how do you choose it? There are so many options!
Last week we looked at the three main reasons for using a pen name: to protect your identity, to separate different types of writing, and to overcome limitations of your real name.
Alison Potter became Ali Knight when her publisher told her that her name just wasn’t right for a thriller writer — too middle-aged and boring. It’s worth clicking on that link to read the Guardian article she wrote, as you might find inspiration from the process she went through for finding something that would work.
There are both artistic and practical considerations in choosing a pen name.
(Image via Bigstock/Vima)
She shortened her first name to Ali, then began a hunt for a surname that wouldn’t be at the extremes of the alphabet — better shelf position in a bookstore! “Having exhausted every family name I wrote down a shortlist of around 10, mainly collected from my regular runs through the local graveyard and film websites,” she said. “In the end we chose Knight. It sounded strong and confident, it felt “crimey”. It tied me to my genre.”
What do you think? Did she come up with a good name?
Could you follow some of her ideas to choose a name for yourself?
Places to find pen names
These are some ideas for where to start.
- Check out your family tree. There might be a great pen name lurking in there. You might find a great first name in one branch of the tree, and an excellent second name somewhere else. Don’t forget that many first names work as second names, and vice versa.
- Look in a baby name book. It will only have first names, but again, they can often make good surnames too.
- If your name sounds too old or too young, and you need an author name that suggests a person of a particular age group, calculate what year that person should have been born, e.g. 1984, 1974, 1964, 1934. Then google “popular baby names in [insert year]”.
- Search online for the meaning of your own name. Then do a reverse search to find other names that mean the same thing.
- Search online for names that symbolise qualities that really matter to you, whatever those may be. For example, when I googled “names that mean honest”, one site offered me 128 potential names.
- What are some of the characteristics of your writing or your genre? Do they suggest ideas for names? Have a look in a thesaurus for other words that mean the same thing. Maybe you could adjust the spelling somehow, to make it a better name.
- Think about aspects of the natural world: colours, fruit, animals, sounds, weather conditions. Do any of them suggest a name? What about the same word in another language? Try Google’s free online translator.
- Use online name generators. Just google “name generator” and you’ll be surprised what comes up! I’d add the warning that most of these are really just a bit of fun, and probably won’t give you a quality name that you’ll want to write under forever. But keep your mind open, and see what the name generator might suggest to you. Perhaps the silly Spy Name it comes up with will trigger further ideas.
- Check out classic literature such as Shakespeare. Don’t only look at character names, but placenames and job descriptions as well. Sometimes even the older versions of English words they used can provide inspiration.
- Try the phone book, if you still have one! In Australia, phone books don’t include first names, only initials. However, surnames often make great first names anyway, as we’ve said before. And you may have first names in the phone books, wherever you live.
- Try a map for inspiration! Yes, street, suburb, state and even country names can make great pen names.
This new name of yours is going to be a long-term commitment, so choose it carefully. If you write fiction, you know how hard it is to name characters… but their names only last for one book! This pen name is going to be your moniker for all kinds of promotional activities.
Artistic considerations
- How does your new pen name sound? How does it feel in your mouth? Will you enjoy saying it aloud for the next umpteen years? (Will you enjoy hearing Oprah introduce you by that name?!)
- Do the first and second names flow into each other easily? Does the total name hang together as a cohesive unit?
- Does it sound right for your type of book or genre? Strong or soft? Business-like or artistic? Masculine or feminine or gender-neutral? Old-fashioned or modern? Young, middle-aged or senior?
Practical considerations
- Can people spell it? This matters much more today, when people want to search for you online, and buy many of their books online too.
- How will it look on a book cover? Make up some dummy covers in whatever software you have. Consider both full size and thumbnail size. Do the letters blend well together or do they look awkward?
- If you are writing certain types of genre fiction, such as crime and thrillers, a short name might be better, because it will fit across the width of the book cover in a larger font! Take a look at similar books in a bookstore, and you’ll see what I mean. The bestsellers all have the author’s name in huge letters, much bigger than the title.
- How common is the name you’ve chosen? Google it, and also check out social media such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Try to choose a name that doesn’t have any other authors using it, if you can. It will make it much easier for people to find you.
- Is the Twitter handle available? (I had to use @Belinda_Pollard myself, because @belindapollard was already taken… but it’s always much better if you can just have the simple name as your handle.)
- Is the basic .com domain still available? If it isn’t, consider another name. If it is available, buy it NOW, even before you make a definite decision. It’s a small investment to make sure you keep that domain available to you.
All this talk of pen names is making me want to choose one for myself! I don’t want all the extra work of a second online profile set… but it’s so tempting. Think what fun I could have…
Are you using a pen name? How did you choose it? Are you thinking about a pen name? I love to hear about your experiences. Scroll down and leave a comment.
Lovely post, Belinda!
I was hoping you could help me with a problem I’ve encountered:
I have the same last name as another author (notably, John Green).
My first name is the same as a lesser-known author, and that author’s last name is GreenE.
After reading various articles on reasons to take a pen name, I’m starting to think a pseudonym is my only choice :/
My novel is completed, edited, etc., etc., and my query letter is written. The only blank space left is my name.
I really want to stay true to my name and not have to resort to initials if at all possible. Would love to hear your advice!
Welcome to my blog. You’ll need to consult a legal person to be sure, but I doubt that anyone can stop you using your real, legal name on the front of your books — although if your parents called you something like Coca Cola, things could get tricky. 🙂 Molly Greene the mystery author (a friend of mine) has the same name as a history author. Just type “molly greene” into Amazon’s search window, and you’ll see what I mean.
There’s another Belinda Pollard who is a writer, although at the moment she doesn’t seem to have published a book.
If there’s someone else with your exact name, you can always go ahead and “win” your name. Do sufficient social marketing that you come up first in online searches.
Also, if you are writing query letters, it’s probably best to write them in your real name anyway. Your eventual publisher will help you decide whether you need a pen name, and what it should be. And I wouldn’t even introduce that question to their minds until they’re signing you, as it’s not necessary in the early stages — they’ll just care about the quality of the book.
Wonderful post!
I was hoping you could me your opinion on my own name. I would like to keep the original spelling of my name, Niamh [nee-v], and my real surname which is very short (4 letters) and easy to spell and pronounce.
Do you think my first name will cause difficulty for anyone wanting to search for me online or at the bookstores (if I’m so lucky)?
Hi Niamh, it used to be that people tried to have simple, English-type names, but I think those days are over. Your name has an interesting look to it. (I wouldn’t have guessed the pronunciation! 🙂 ) What genres do you write?
Hi, Belinda! Thanks for the response! I write in both mystery and science fiction. I’m hoping since my surname is easy to spell, I won’t have to adopt a pseudonym in place of my first.
It’s a good looking name for those genres. 🙂 You could always anglicise your first name to Neve, or use a nickname… but then sometimes people like to feel a sense of accomplishment for working out how to pronounce a name. (For example, Keanu Reeves seems to have survived the pronunciation problem.) As always, it’s a personal decision. Only you can decide what’s right for you. I hope that whichever way you go, you have great success!
I enjoyed your post! I use a pen name because I am in public education and I write romance. I chose my middle name and a name from my family tree as the surname.
Sounds like a good solution, LeAnne. When you want some separation between parts of your life without absolute secrecy, a pen name can be a good option.
Hello Belinda,
I know that this article is old but I’m currently thinking about choosing a pen name (I’m an author/comic book artist).
I’m mixed Greek and I love greek mythology, so I thought about choosing a greek god name (Hades is my favorite, but I also enjoy Eos, Helios, Astrae, Nyx and others).
Actually, I’d like to use a name that is ” related ” to me in one way or another and with which I can be comfortable (I plan on using it for years, I can’t picture myself changing it all the time because I don’t feel ” well ” with it).
However, I’m afraid that people might think I’m arrogant or something like that (holier than thou), or that I’m lacking respect (which is obviously not true !), and other things like these.
What do you think about it ? Should I keep my idea or should I give up ?
Thank you !
It seems to me that comic book artists could get away with a little more dramatic flair in the pen name… what sort of names do other comic book artists use? Choosing a Greek name if you are in fact Greek is surely not arrogant, but I don’t have the cultural familiarity to know whether you might cause offence by using the name of a god. In the end, only you can decide on the name that feels right to you. I wish you the very best in your search!
Actually, it depends :
– some comic artists use their real names
– some comic artists use realistic pen names
– some comic artists use a name related to themselves that generally bears an emotional connection (ex : I chose according to my ethnicity, but it can be something else, of course : a precious memory, the same name or a similar name to a pet or a loved one that/who is no longer here anymore, etc.)
– some comic artists simply use a word they like and/or a word that sounds cool
… And so on.
Honestly, it’s really varied and it also depends on the comic type (american comic, webcomic, manga, etc.), the style and the genre (for example, someone who draw/write romance stories for girls (ex : a shoujo manga) will be more likely to choose a girly/cute name (it’s really stereotypical, but many mangas are like that), whereas someone who draw/write funny stories will be more likely to choose an upbeat pen/artist name.
Thank you very much for answering me so fast and thank you for this helpful article !
I am thinking about the using the name D.C. Darke to write horror/dark fiction. However, I am not completely sure I like the way it looks – it seems unbalanced I think.
I would love to hear others’ thoughts.
It’s tricky, isn’t it Darren? Is Darke your real name? If it’s your real name, it’s made for horror, but then if it’s a made-up name, I wonder if it might be overstating the symbolism. But then, I may be overthinking it. 😉 Let’s see what reactions others come up with.
Hi Belinda,
Sorry for coming to this conversation late but can I please ask a question?
I’m writing for children and also for adults so am agonising over the pen name issue. I’m female but if I chose a male pen name that would necessitate leaving my picture off any website or facebook pages. Yet people endlessly say that you MUST have a photo on these things to fully engage with people etc. . I’m keen to hear your thoughts on this.
Thanks!
Hi Leanne, yes it’s a tricky question, isn’t it? I don’t think it has a straightforward answer, unfortunately.
You could consider the “full name vs initials” option for creating two names and two personas, one of which is not gender specific. You could also be “Lee” to be less specific about your gender. But still we have the photo issue.
I know some people who have a cartoon of themselves drawn, and they use that as their avatar on social media. Apparently you can get them done quite cheaply on Fiverr. So I guess you could have a male avatar drawn for your male author persona, and you’d have to weigh up how you felt about presenting yourself that way.
It might be preferable to use a photo on social media, but it’s not compulsory.
I guess I haven’t been much help, although it may give you a few more things to ponder! George Eliot (aka Mary Ann Evans) never had to deal with all this nonsense. 😉
I know that Karin Cox is one author who writes for both children and adults under her real name. So it can be done, if you prefer to make your life less complicated.
Thanks, Belinda, I think you’ve been a great help. Thanks, especially for the Karin Cox tip. I’ve just had a look at her website to see how she manages it. The “Lee” suggestion is a good one, too. Much to ponder…
Cheers,
Leanne
Best wishes with it Leanne. Also, I’m not sure if you saw my article about my own journey of working through this issue.
https://smallbluedog.com/pen-names-different-names-for-different-genres.html
Thank you for this article. I have been using a partial pen name for a while (the last name I use is my own) online and for my writing. I want to self-publish and also keep a blog. However, I now have a problem. I use my pen name for my personal emails so my family know what it is, though they don’t know that I use it for my writing. The fiction I’m writing and the blog I plan on doing are going to be quite personal. Not autobiographical, mind you, but they will reveal a lot of emotional realities that I’ve experienced over the years. I was emotionally abused as a child and still suffer some of this with my parents as an adult. So I am concerned that my family will figure out I am using the pseudonym they know and find my blog and my writing.
To that end, I am considering using a pseudonym for the pseudonym. My idea for this new name is made up of 2 fictional characters from classic films (the first name and the last name taken from 2 different characters). I’m still doing research to see what the legal responsibilities of that might be. The films were both released in the 1940’s, so this is some time ago. I’m hoping that I can use them without a problem.
Tam
Sounds like a complex situation for you, Tam. It’s good that you are looking carefully into all the implications of the name you are considering using. That’s very wise. You don’t want to spend a lot of time building up a presence in a particular name, and then discover you are not able to continue with it. Best wishes with all your publishing plans, and with finding a good solution.
I am writing my first children’s book and have decided to use a pen name to protect my family from paperazi and also my real name is very dull and boring.
Hope it goes well, Kirstie.
hello,
I am in a fix to find a pen name for myself… I did fins somethings that I wanted to go for but I don’t know if It is correct for me.
I aspire to become a blogger and want to choose a name with an Asian touch. I also wanted the name to be a little bit related to or close to my real name and lastly I wanted both my first and last name to start with the same letter … so I did conclude upon Yoshino Yuna.
I really like it but I just want little but i need insight from a person who doesn’t know me … because I am thinking of it from my angle … I need to know it from other’s view point as well^^
Hi there, the name Yoshino Yuna has a nice sound when I say it, and I don’t find it hard to say (which can be a problem for some names from other cultures). The words also look nice together, to me.
From other perspectives – meaning of names, whether you might have a clash with someone else using that name – I cannot comment as I don’t know.
Perhaps some other readers will leave comments for you too. Best wishes with your blogging!
Thank you very much for letting me know^^
It feels great to hear a reply from an esteemed person like you.
Yes, I did find some people on the internet with the same name (i am not quite sure if that is their real name or not)
One of them doesn’t seem to come online/ blog anymore.
But there are plenty of them on facebook and a few on instagaram.
This has made it more difficult..
But I wonder will that make any difference?
This world is too big and there are so many people with the same name…
Yoshita, it’s very difficult when there are so many others by the same name. You may want to consult a lawyer in your local area, to find out what complications there might be from choosing a pen name which is already in use by others.
When it is your real name, no one can stop you using it, even if others have the same name. When it is a pen name, it is always wise to be prepared ahead of time, rather than meet difficulties later when you have become established under that name. Best wishes to you for finding a solution.
Hi Belinda,
I just read your tips on how to choose a pen name. They were very helpful! Thank you. I have just 1 more question.
I’ve written a memoir (my first inspirational work) and I’m using a pen name for 1 main reason: I write in 2 markets. In my full time career, I am a tenure track Assistant Professor (in the School of Education at a 4 year university) and I publish scholarly, researched-based, peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and manuscripts in an academic market. As part of my Christian writing ministry, I write inspirational works, my memoir being my first, with the intent of writing more inspirational, self-help works on parenting and education. I want to keep the 2 genres separate so I’m using a pen name for my Inspirational writing.
My question is how much of my real life/self do I divulge as I market my books under my pen name?
Thanks in advance for your response.
Christine
Hi Christine, thanks for your comment. Any questions you have about legal or protocol issues you’ll need to check elsewhere as those are not my fields, but I’ll just share with you my instinct as a communicator, if that’s helpful.
Readers will connect more strongly with you as a writer if you reveal something of yourself to them as you market your books, especially considering the topics you have chosen to write about. I’d find it very hard to market a book effectively in the current world WITHOUT being self-revealing at some level.
You’d obviously need to balance that against your desire to keep your academic and inspirational writings separate, and your personal need for privacy. In some ways it depends on how much is at stake if your “worlds collide”. Do they need to remain very separate, or is it OK for people to know the two names are the same person? And how likely is it that the two audiences will overlap anyway?
I know a leading clinical/organisational psychologist who began writing popular self-help books, and he kept the two personas very separate for a time, thinking the pop psychology work might undermine his other more “serious” work, but he has now allowed them to merge. He even has both identities on the one LinkedIn profile these days! And in the pop psychology zone he writes stories that include his wife and children, but doesn’t mention their names.
I hope that’s of some help as you mull over what you want to do. As you can see, there is no easy, one-size-fits-all answer. Feel free to ask more questions.
Belinda,
Thanks for you response.
Long-term, I do envision my “two worlds colliding” but my faith combined with my professional career as an educator has bee the source of some anxiety for me in the past. I’m been admonished by one principal that I could not evangelize in the classroom when I honestly I felt just acknowledging my faith–not forcing anything on anyone. So because of that experience, I’m somewhat reluctant to combine my writing ministry with my professional career but IDEALLY, I’d like to write to a Christian audience about current issue in Education and even conduct some academic educational studies with church goers.
Currently, however, my strategy for breaking into print in the Inspirational market is my memoir about an experience I went through that some would describe as a “paper bag book” in the Christian market. I wrote about that “slice of my life” when I had a child out-of-wedlock by someone who had been my high school sweetheart but at the time,was married, his wife was 7 months pregnant. My memoir details my journey of healing and forgiveness.
To protect those who are innocent, including my son, I change everyone’s name, including mine, leave out some details and am intentionally vague in some descriptions as to protect others privacy. I do this without compromising the integrity of my work and still maintaining my authenticity of the work and and remaining non-judgmental, objective in tone.
Thus, this too is why I’ve chosen to start out using a pen name. I’d decided I on my webpage where I will market the book, that I will include some identifying information about myself such as I have a Ph.D and work in higher education but that’s the extent of it, and I’d decided NOT to include my picture. My prayer is that God, through my story might minister to a young woman 14-30 who’s experiencing an out-of-wedlock pregnancy. I don’t have to reveal my face for God to do that. Any thoughts?
Hi Belinda,
I am writing my first romance novel and have decided to use a pen name. I feel that it is pertinent to protect my identity because of my career as a nurse. I’m still deciding on my pen name, but the one that I am most confident about is based on two characters from my favorite epic fantasy series. I substituted a similar, but more common name for the first name as to not be obvious (for it is a name unique only to this series and author). My question is, are there any copyright issues to consider if I do ultimately choose this pen name?
Thank You
Hi Ashley, I’m not sure about that. You might be wise to check with a lawyer before you commit. I’m not a lawyer, but this guy is: http://www.podlegal.com.au/pen-names-a-useful-disguise-or-a-legal-risk/
Apparently, names can’t be copyrighted, but trademarks are a different story. You’d probably want to check whether the name you want to use is a trademark. For example, “Harry Potter” appears in lots of trademarks to do with JK Rowling’s character. This could be a good place to start: http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/search/
Thank you!
I have came up with a pen name, I just wanted to see if it was a good one.
KB Stanley.
The reason I chose this is because Stanley is the last name of an old fire Captain that I used to know as a child when I lived near a fire station in LA because I am writing stories based off real people I know in the fire and rescue profession I am in, I used KB because my first name is always misspelled , I used the intials of my hyphenated middle name because using Katie-Brooke as the full thing would make it smaller and harder to read.
So what do you think of: KB Stanley? Let me know!:)
I like both your real name and your pen name, Alyssa. As you say, KB Stanley, being shorter, will allow you to use a bigger font on the cover. And I can understand that there are many spellings of the name “Alyssa”! Perhaps others will weigh in with their feedback too.
What genre are you writing, as that can also help determine what kind of name you decide to use? Hope your books do well! 🙂
Hi Belinda,
I am debating between two different pen sur-names, which both have connections to me or my name. Would you say its wiser to pick the name that is more unusual but still easy to spell or the name that has more connection to my real name but it is also a more common surname?
Regards 🙂
Very tricky, Ms H, and ultimately a decision only you can make. (not what you wanted to hear, I bet! 😉 ) But I do think it’s one of those things where there’s no right or wrong, and we need to just follow our instincts as best we can.
You could try this: Mock up a book cover with all the features the same, and make a version with each name. Which do you like best?
Best wishes with the decision!!
Oohh! The book cover idea is very good! Thank you so much! 🙂
I’ve been writing a high fantasy novel, and have been fighting with the idea of whether to use a pen name or not. I am not too worried about keeping my identity private, doesn’t bother me too much atall. However my surname is often misspelled or miss pronounced – which in turn makes word of mouth difficult. I’m thinking of going with a very different surname, probably from my family tree, but keeping my Initials (as fantasy writers often publish with initials and surnames).
Jacob, I’m beginning to think that more and more, people are accessing websites and social media profiles via clickable links, instead of searching for a particular name. I’ve always felt it was good to have a spellable name, but lots of people misspell my name too, and it’s not that complicated. It’s a tricky area. I’m about to post again regarding my own pen name decision… stay tuned. 🙂
Hi Belinda,
I just recently read your article on 3 reasons for using a pen name, after reading I quickly decided to use a pen name for the books I am working on now. I chose my pen name from a bottle of sake I had one night and my favorite color which is blue. The funny thing is I think I mispelled the name of the sake, because whenever I try to find it on line, I reach a dead end.
I would like to know if I can use my pen name for my memoir, or do you have to use my real name?
Thank you for your time
Hi Nick, glad you figured out how to choose your pen name! We can find inspiration in all sorts of places.
As for a memoir with a pen name… some people will say yes or no, but I’d say, “It depends.” There is no “rule” about it, carved in stone somewhere.
I wouldn’t count on a pen name to protect the SAFETY of anyone. Determined people can find out anything they want, these days. And I wouldn’t recommend any memoirist hide behind a pen name in order to throw stones at others. To me, that lacks integrity. But if a writer is building a body of work based on a pen name, and then wants to write memoir and connect it with that same body of work, it could make sense. After all, that’s how people know that writer.
If you have an agent or publisher, you’ll probably want to discuss it with them. But if you are self-publishing, it’s your own choice.
Either way, it’s an issue that needs to be thought through carefully, and discussed with wise advisors who have all the facts. All the best! 🙂