pseudonym

American  

[sood-n-im] / ˈsud n ɪm /

noun

pseudonyms plural

1. a fictitious name used especially by an author to conceal their identity; pen name.

   Synonyms:

   nom de plume, alias

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pseudonym British  

/ ˈsjuːdəˌnɪm /

noun

1. a fictitious name adopted, esp by an author

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Usage

What is a pseudonym? A pseudonym is a false or fictitious name, especially one used by an author. When an author uses a pseudonym, it can also be called a pen name or a nom de plume. There are many reasons an author may choose to use a pseudonym instead of their own name, such as to avoid controversy or to create a persona. Many women authors throughout history have used a male or gender-neutral pseudonym to get their work published due to bias against women writers. A famous example is Mary Ann Evans, who used the pseudonym George Eliot. The word pseudonym can refer to a fake or false name used by anyone, not just writers. It’s typically used so a person can remain anonymous. In legal proceedings, the pseudonyms John Doe, Jane Doe, Richard Roe, and Jane Roe are used in​ when a person’s name is being kept anonymous. Such names can also be called anonyms. Example: A lot of people use pseudonyms when posting controversial opinions online.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• pseudonymity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pseudonyms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pseudonym

First recorded in 1840–50; from Greek pseudṓnymon “false name”; see pseud-, -onym

Explanation

A pseudonym is a name that someone, often a writer, uses instead of their real name. The real name of Dr. Seuss was Theodore Seuss Geisel. Mark Twain was a pseudonym for the writer Samuel Clemens. A near synonym of pseudonym is pen name. Similarly, an allonym is the name of an important person in history that is taken by a writer as a pseudonym. Some of Shakespeare's plays might have been written by other writers using an allonym. If an actor uses a fake name, it is usually called a stage name. And there's no fancy work for nickname — it's just what your family and friends call you.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pseudonym pseudonyms

Comedian Jon Harvey, who regularly runs in by-elections under the pseudonym Count Binface, has confirmed he will run.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

Inside El-Obeid, drones buzz almost constantly, said Adam Hussein, using a pseudonym for fear of reprisals.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

Before this, Irving had begun his project of myth-building with a mischievously fictionalized history of New York published under the name Diedrich Knickerbocker—a pseudonym that lives on with the city’s basketball team.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

When he started tattooing in 2004, he used the pseudonym Sunrat Tattoo, and ran his first studio out of a basement.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

I decided I'd surprise Jay Cee and send in a couple of the stories I wrote in this class under a pseudonym.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

The indictment names him as Thomas Doyle, saying that he also used the pseudonyms A.J. and Austin Doyle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 11, 2026

The women, who usually use only their first names or online pseudonyms, are expected to sit at the studio table for up to nine hours, with no breaks.

From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2025

Avaaz gave the survivors who participated in the webinar pseudonyms for their safety.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2025

With ultra-low budgets, many of the productions are non-union, prompting some writers and actors to work under pseudonyms to avoid facing sanctions from their unions, said several people who work on the shows.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2025

I would venture to guess that these were pseudonyms.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green

Related Words

• alias
• stage name