Changing Your Name (Pen Names?), page 1

If you could change your name, what would you change it to? And what are your thoughts on the high percentage of people who have changed their names and have become highly successful because of it. You have to admit there is a strong correlation between a name and a persona.

Also think about all the famous people out there who changed there names before becoming famous. What if they didn't change their names? Would anyone have known who they are? Like Voltaire, Mark Twain, Tom Cruise, etc. Just something to consider.

I love to write and want to put out a few books but I don't want to use my real name.

I want to write a few non-fiction books and a few fiction books down the line. I've heard of authors using pen names for fiction books, but what about non-fiction self help style books? Is it ok to use a pen name for those? And how would this all effect your efforts of marketing the book.

Just something I've been thinking about for a while and was wondering if any other writers have considered using a pen name. I think the name associated with the book could really impact the overall image. There are tons of people who have changed there names who are writers, entertainers, artists, etc.

Also, along the same line. I grew up with a single mother and have never really known my father or my fathers side of his family but I have his last name which is a somewhat unusual last name. Also my first name is very difficult to pronounce and I've been going by a nickname since I was 10 years old.

Anyways, I was considering changing my first name to the nickname I've been going by for years. And changing my last name to something cool. So in reality, my pen name may end up becoming my real name! All of those famous people out there that changed there names before becoming famous knew what they where doing. What's in a name? I think it's your entire persona in some cases. Also I'd like to build a dynasty on my name going forward given I have really know ties to my fathers lineage. For instance, my father doesn't even speak english and I can't speak his language. He's in a foreign country in Europe and I've never met any of his side of the family. So I am basically the first. I can name myself anything and have no guilt about it.

I know it sounds crazy. Anways, I was just wondering if anyone here had any thoughts on this. The whole pen name thing.

Here is a list of a few famous writers with pen names, feel free to add more if you know any.

Acton Bell, Anne Brontë (1820-49)
Currer Bell, Charlotte Brontë (1816-55)
Ellis Bell, Emily Brontë (1818-4
Boz, Charles Dickens (1812-70)
Lewis Carroll, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-9
Mary Renault, Eileen Mary Challans (1905-83)
Marie Corelli, Mary Mackay (1855-1924)
Baron Corvo, Frederick Rolfe (1860-1913)
Elia, Charles Lamb (1775-70)
George Eliot, Mary Ann Evans (1819-80)
Henry Green, Henry Vincent Yorke (1905-73)
Ford Madox Ford, Ford Hermann Hueffer (1873-1939)
Marie Kelvedon, Sarah Kane (1971-1999)
John le Carré, David Cornwell (1931- )
Parson Lot, Charles Kingsley (1819-75)
Catherine Marchant, Catherine Cookson (1906-9
George Orwell, Eric Arthur Blair (1903-50)
Palinurus, Cyril Connolly (1903-74)
Q, Arthur Quiller-Couch (1863-1944)
Walter Ramal, Walter de la Mare (1873-1956)
Nevil Shute, Nevil Shute Norway (1899-1960)
Babara Vine, Ruth Rendell (1930- )
Mary Westmacott, Agatha Christie (1890-1975)

Nicholas Blake - Cecil Day-Lewis
Al Capp Alfred - Gerald Caplin
Lewis Carroll - Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
Joseph Conrad - Teodor Josef Konrad Korzeniowski
Aleister Crowley - Edward Alexander Crowley
George Eliot - Mary Ann (or Marion) Evans
Astrid Lindgren - Astrid Ericsso
George Orwell - Eric Arthur Blair
William Shakespeare - William Shakspere
Irwin Shaw - Irmain Shamforoff
Nevil Shute - Nevile Shute Norway
Bram Stoker - Abraham Stoker
Mark Twain - Samuel Langhorne Clemens
Voltaire - Francois Marie Arouet
Rebecca West - Cicily Isabel Fairfield
Tennessee Williams - Thomas Lanier Williams

---------------------

Please share your thoughts on all of this. I'm sure you've considered changing your name before, maybe the first, maybe the last, maybe both. There are tons of people out there that have changed there names and have become more successful because of it. Feel free to share any notable people that you probably would have never had the pleasure of reading about, seeing their films or art, had they not changed there name and become more marketable.

-----------------------------------
links to famous name changes:
www.famousnamechanges.net...
www.famousfolk.com...

[edit on 24-12-2005 by Samsonite]