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What pseudonym did author Samuel Clemens use?

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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

If the film were as goofy as the killer’s pseudonym, it might be worth the two painful hours it takes to muster through this bloodless procedural.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026

John, who asked to be identified by a pseudonym because he is part of a lawsuit against his former employer, has been diagnosed with coal workers' pneumoconiosis, commonly called black lung disease.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

She was 14 when she met 18-year-old “Sam,” a pseudonym Hackney assigns him in the memoir.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Factually, it’s baloney, although “Tony” does restore the restaurant’s actual name — the Flagship — from Bourdain’s Dreadnaught, the pseudonym he gave it before he ever imagined future fans following him around the world.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

To overcome this stigma, Froelick used her married name, Anne Taylor, as a pseudonym.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

All entrants in the main literature prizes in the National Eisteddfod compete under pseudonyms, as a part of the festival's strict confidentiality rule.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

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

Unable to get work there, he moved to England, where he wrote screenplays under pseudonyms.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• alias
• stage name