A pen name, or pseudonym, is a name an author publishes under instead of their legal name. Writers have used them for centuries to get past prejudice, protect their privacy, separate genres, or start fresh: Mary Ann Evans wrote as George Eliot, Samuel Clemens as Mark Twain, and Madeleine Wickham as Sophie Kinsella.
A pen name (also called a pseudonym or nom de plume) is a name an author uses on their work instead of their real name (Wikipedia). It's one of the oldest kinds of alias, and the reasons writers adopt one have changed less than you might think.
Getting past prejudice: George Eliot and the Brontës
In the 19th century, women writers often faced the assumption that serious fiction was a man's job. Mary Ann Evans published Middlemarch and Silas Marner as George Eliot, in part so her work would be taken seriously and judged apart from her personal life (Wikipedia).
The Brontë sisters did something similar. Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë first published as Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell, names that kept their initials but hid their gender (Wikipedia). Jane Eyre first appeared under the name Currer Bell.
Building a persona: Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens became Mark Twain. "Mark twain" was a riverboat call meaning two fathoms of water, safe depth for a boat, a phrase he knew from his years as a Mississippi River pilot (Wikipedia). The name gave him a distinctive public persona, and it became one of the most famous bylines in American literature.
Separating genres: Robert Galbraith
Modern authors often use a second name to write in a different genre. J. K. Rowling published crime novels as Robert Galbraith, beginning with The Cuckoo's Calling in 2013; her authorship was revealed soon after publication (Wikipedia). Even "J. K. Rowling" is a constructed name: her publisher suggested initials, and the "K" came from her grandmother Kathleen.
A fresh start: Sophie Kinsella
Madeleine Sophie Wickham published her first novel, The Tennis Party (1995), under her own married name. She then adopted Sophie Kinsella for the comic novels that became the Shopaholic series. "Sophie" was her middle name and "Kinsella" her mother's maiden name (Wikipedia). The new name gave her lighter books their own identity. By the time of her death in December 2025, her books had sold more than 50 million copies, according to the BBC. (Read our News story on remembering Madeleine Wickham.)
Why writers still use pen names
The main reasons haven't changed much over the centuries:
- Privacy. Keeping a writing career separate from a day job or family life.
- Genre branding. One name for crime, another for romance, so readers know what they're getting.
- A fresh start. A new name lets an author relaunch without the sales history of earlier books.
- Avoiding bias. Hiding gender, age or background so the work is judged on its own.
- Memorability. A short, distinctive name is easier to remember on a cover.
Pen names vs. stage names
A pen name is really a stage name for writers. Performers pick names for persona and memorability, as we cover in Famous Stage Names and the Real Names Behind Them, and poker players earn theirs at the table and online, as in How Poker Players Got Their Nicknames. The difference is mostly where the name appears: on a cover, a marquee or a leaderboard.
Know a pen name we're missing? Use the submit-a-name form on realnameof.com, with a source, and we'll review it.
FAQ
What is a pen name? A pen name, or pseudonym, is a name an author publishes under instead of their legal name.
Why did George Eliot use a pen name? Mary Ann Evans wrote as George Eliot partly so her work would be taken seriously and judged apart from her private life (Wikipedia).
What was Mark Twain's real name? Samuel Langhorne Clemens. 'Mark twain' was a riverboat term for two fathoms of water.
What was Sophie Kinsella's real name? Madeleine Sophie Wickham. Kinsella was her mother's maiden name.