How to Make Your Own Pseudonym

Last Updated: April 19, 2020 References

If you've wanted a name change, now is the chance to have some fun. This is especially useful for making up a "nom de plume"^{[1]
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Pseudonym Help

Sample Pseudonym Suggestions

Sample Famous Pseudonyms

Method 1

Method 1 of 1:

Making Your Own Pseudonym

1
Consider how much of your real name you want to keep. You can shorten your name from something like William to Will, or Ashley to Ash, or simply choose a name that is similar.
2
Decide what kind of genre you want to write and choose a name that fits it.^{[2]
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- For fantasy and science fiction writings, initials work best, such as J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien.
- For literary works, "flowing" names work better, such as Nicholas Sparks and Barbara Kingsolver.
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3
Make sure that the complete name isn't awkward! The amount of syllables must be easy to spit out, unlike Billie Letts (too many L's) or 2-syllable names.
4
Select several pseudonyms by mixing and matching. It sounds silly, but write each name out in easy print and give the names a bit of space on the paper. Keep working on what looks good and cross out the rest.
5
Search for your options with an Internet search engine to find out if anyone else has already used them. Discard the ones that are being or have been used.^{[3]
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6
Say each pseudonym out loud several times. Just about anything will work, such as, "I have to read [pseudonym's] newest book!" or "Is [pseudonym] coming for a book signing?"
7
Choose your favorite pseudonym out of all of your options. There's no formula for deciding the best one; if you like one better than the others, go with it!
8
You can use random name generators like http://www.behindthename.com/random/ and try different combinations of the names you get. That always gives you an interesting new name, and you can choose the origin of the name, like Irish, English, African, or even mythology.^{[4]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can I put my own name in the book that I am creating for free?

Community Answer

Yes, unless you want to remain anonymous,
Question

Can I use a famous character's name as a pseudonym?

Community Answer

It's probably best not to, in order to avoid confusion. However, you can always take two characters you like and put their names together. For example, Harry Potter and Jon Snow could make Harry Snow or John Potter -- two unique names.
Question

Don't I need to register a pseudonym to be legal and do things like open a bank account?

Community Answer

People do not usually open bank accounts under their pseudonyms. I would suggest you continue to use your real name for official business. If you were to become a very famous author or artist or something under your pseudonym, you could register that as your business name for copyright purposes, etc.