pseudonym

American  

[sood-n-im] / ˈsud n ɪm /

noun

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

• pseudonymity noun

Etymology

Origin of pseudonym

First recorded in 1840–50; from Greek pseudṓnymon “false name”; 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

The author has never made a secret of the fact Freida McFadden is a pseudonym, and that she also works as a doctor, but had never revealed her real name.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

A report in The New York Times claims to have identified the person who goes by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamato, the inventor of bitcoin and one of the richest people on Earth.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

"This is the right place to ask for help in finding a person to marry," Aisha, using a pseudonym, told AFP inside Northern Halal Marriage online matchmaking office.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

He adopted a pseudonym because he was writing about his work “in an inner-city hospital and in a prison, and I therefore needed an extra layer of disguise,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

He exacerbated his trouble by creating a pseudonym, “Mary Rosh,” to defend his theory in online debates.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Related Words

• alias
• stage name