Trivia Time

What pseudonym did author Samuel Clemens use?

Test Your Knowledge

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

---

pseudonym British  

/ ˈsjuːdəˌnɪm /

noun

1. a fictitious name adopted, esp by an author

---

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

The government quoted one woman with the pseudonym "Turtle" as saying she tried the app "as a last chance" as she approached her 40th birthday.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

She used the pseudonym “Petera Falk,” a reference to the actor who played TV detective Columbo.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

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

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

AI can be excellent "for visualising the voices of minorities who have struggled to cross the threshold of mainstream media", said the creator, who asked to use the pseudonym Tender Frame.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

It took me almost as long to select a pseudonym as it had taken me to write the whole letter.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

Some of the posters use only initials or pseudonyms, like “Pumpkin Spice” or “Banana Slug.”

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

Its Red Team agreed to speak to the BBC under pseudonyms.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2024

I would venture to guess that these were pseudonyms.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green

Related Words

• alias
• stage name