Pseudonyms

Meaning and Information

This is an image of Mark Twain who used the pseudonym Samuel Langhorne Clemens.

Pseudonyms, also known as pen names, are names that someone uses instead of his or her real name. This is typically present on written work like novels or stories. Most individuals use this idea of pen names for many reasons. Those reasons could consist of safety, freedom, wanting to write about controversial topics, or simply not wanting personal details of their life to be put in the public eye. These pen names are drawn from a large variety of sources. Some of the most commonly used names came from the names of Greeks and Romans. Examples of those can include Agrippa, Caius, Demosthenes, Juvenis, Lucius, Marcus, Numa, Solon, and Timoleon.

Examples of Pseudonyms

There have been many authors who have used pseudonyms or pen names. Here is a list of examples from celebrities or famous people:

• Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as Mark Twain
• Richard Bachman, also known as Stephen King
• Robert Galbraith, also known as J.K. Rowling
• Rosamond Smith, also known as Joyce Carol Oates
• Mrs. Silence Dogood, also known as Benjamin Franklin
• George Eliot, also known as Mary Anne Evans

History

The history behind the word pseudonym comes from Greek roots. Pseudo, meaning false, and onoma, meaning name, has a literal transition of false name. The word has been thrown around since 1817, but was traced back to ancient Greece and was typically used in playwrights during those times. During the 1830s, around 80% of works of literature were written under a pen name or had been anonymous. Most of these authors were female novelists and became more harshly judged as writers because of their gender. To add, a large amount of famous male authors also used pen names during the 1800s.