Looking for a pen name

Writers' Corner
1

[name]Hi[/name] there, berries -

You’ve all been so helpful in the past, so I thought I’d enlist your help in this unique request. I’m a budding author, and I love to write, and my goal is to one day write a book that wins some sort of honor or medal. However, I hate my name. My parents decided to be “progressive,” so I have a hyphenated last name, which is entirely cumbersome. It’s mostly unpronounceable, and it starts with Sh.

My first name is [name]Bailey[/name], which is okay, but I want it to be clear that I’m a girl. And my middle name is [name]Suzanna[/name], if anyone cares. I’ve been using [name]Bailey[/name] Suze as my whole name for a while now, and while I like it, I think I want something a bit more exotic as my pen name.

My genre is young-adult-fiction, but not like [name]Suzanne[/name] [name]Collins[/name]. More like [name]John[/name] [name]Green[/name]. (HUGE [name]John[/name] [name]Green[/name] fan right here. Anyone?) I want something clearly feminine, and something you’ll remember. [name]One[/name] of my biggest pet peeves is when people add a lot of gratuitous ys to their names, so you get pen names like my friend’s, [name]Onyx[/name] Safyre, which is fine, but for whatever reason that just really bothers me.

Right now I’m really liking the idea of an A name, so:
[name]Anna[/name]
[name]Aria[/name]
[name]Avalon[/name]
[name]Antoinette[/name] (I keep coming back to [name]Antoinette[/name]. [name]Do[/name] you guys like it?)
[name]Aliza[/name] (it’s a family name)

Some other things that inspire my writing are music and colors, so maybe some sort of something based on that?

As for a last name, I’ve been using [name]Fabian[/name] as a placeholder, but I’m very much open to suggestions. Something that sounds like a name, but doesn’t have to be too common. I’ve also been considering Sparrow, Day, and Marks, which is a family name.

Thanks!

2

Hello fellow author-type-person!

I too have been bestowed with not the best name to adorn the cover of the next best-seller. It’s not an awful name and I’m proud of it to a certain extent but I needed a pen-name for 2 reasons:

  1. I don’t think my real name is good enough for an author name
  2. I’m intensely private and don’t want my private life to blend with my potential future life as a published author. I know a lot of people want their name on the cover of their book, but me, I’d rather be anonymous. [name]Just[/name] my personal preference.

My pen-name consists of two family names put together. [name]One[/name] from my mother’s side and one from my father’s. That way I’m still honouring my family without using my legal name.

I think your idea to use family names somehow is therefore a great idea. I find a lot of pen-names are either too dull (for example, who’d choose to use something like A.B [name]Smith[/name]?) or sound like strippers ([name]Krystal[/name] Devine, [name]Candie[/name] [name]Rayne[/name] etc - I made those up, I hope they’re not actual author names!)

Out of your suggestions I really like:

[name]Aria[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name]
[name]Aliza[/name] Marks
[name]Anna[/name] [name]Day[/name]
[name]Aria[/name] Marks

Sorry, [name]Antoinette[/name] is nms but I like [name]Anna[/name], [name]Aria[/name] and [name]Aliza[/name].

I think [name]Aliza[/name] Marks is my favourite as you mentioned both are family names and they work well together [name]IMO[/name]. Only you’ll know when you find the right name for you though, no-one else will be able to do that for you.

Good luck finding your name and with your future writing endeavours!

3

I too like [name]Aliza[/name] Marks

[name]Aziza[/name] Marks is pretty too and a bit offbeat, but the Marks makes it solid.

4

You mentioned you are inspired by music and colors. I have always loved [name]Teal[/name].

5

waves hello to another author
I use a couple of different pen names. [name]One[/name] of mine comes from a variation off my name, with a surname that has personal meaning for me.

[name]Love[/name] [name]Antoinette[/name]…but I am a bit unsure if it’s great for the YA genre. I’ll let you decide that though.

I’m mostly suggesting things off what you said, but I took a few liberties with alterations and music/color suggestions.

My Choices
Antoinette [name]Day[/name]
Antoinette Bailey
Antoinette Reed
Tonia [name]Sparrow[/name]
Anna Bailey
Anna [name]Sparrow[/name]
Anna [name]Scarlette[/name]
Aliza Marks
Aria Carmine
Ariana [name]Day[/name]
Ariana Marks
Alexa [name]Sparrow[/name]

I do also like [name]Suzanna[/name] [name]Bailey[/name], which someone suggested earlier. I wonder if people would find it too similar to [name]Suzanne[/name] [name]Collins[/name] at a glance though.

Best of luck name hunting! What I did was try introducing myself with several names to see what sounded right to me. :slight_smile:

6

Some suggestions of names beginning with “A”:

[name]Adeline[/name]
[name]Adrienne[/name]
Agnetha
[name]Alannah[/name]
[name]Amani[/name]
[name]Amara[/name]
[name]Amari[/name]
[name]Anya[/name]
[name]Aquilla[/name]
[name]Ariana[/name]
[name]Astrid[/name]
[name]Azura[/name] (the only ‘colour’ related ‘A’ name I can think of apart from [name]Amethyst[/name])

I also like [name]Aziza[/name] and [name]Aliza[/name].
I can’t quite picture [name]Avalon[/name] as an author’s first name, but I can as a last name.
While I like the sound of [name]Aria[/name], I can’t quite picture that as an author’s first name either.

Good luck and all the best in finding your ideal pen name!

7

Wow, you guys are good!

I really like the idea of the last name [name]Sparrow[/name], so I’m sticking to that for now. Plus, it’s got the same first initial as my real last name, so that’s nice.

That said, I’ve got a few ideas.
I mentioned [name]Aria[/name], and while I like it as a name, I think opalmoon is right - it’s not quite right for a writer. What about [name]Ariana[/name]? [name]Arianna[/name]? [name]Arianne[/name]? [name]Adrianne[/name]? Adriadne?

Also, I’ve completely fallen in love with [name]Tonia[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name]. (A million thanks, [name]Kristen[/name]!) I think that’s adorable. It’s at the top of my list for now, but I do still want to peruse my options.

I’ve also had the idea of making the initials the same as my real initials, which are B. S. S. Any ideas for a B name? I’ve got:
[name]Beth[/name]/[name]Bethany[/name] - don’t love.
[name]Bonnie[/name] - just doesn’t feel right
[name]Bellamy[/name] - I’m kind of liking [name]Bellamy[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name].
[name]Beatrice[/name]/[name]Beatrix[/name] - I think these would be really nice with a different last name. Marks, maybe. [name]Beatrice[/name] Marks. I kind of like that.
[name]Becca[/name] - seems a bit juvenile
[name]Bernadette[/name] - I’m intrigued…
[name]Beverly[/name] - seems old lady-ish
[name]Brianna[/name] or any variation - also seems juvenile
[name]Bridget[/name] - hmmm…

If anyone has any thoughts, that would be so appreciated. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to actually write!
xoxo

8

Oh! I’ve got an idea! What about [name]Annika[/name]? [name]Annika[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name]?

9

You could shorten [name]Beverly[/name] to [name]Bev[/name]. I like [name]Bev[/name] Sparks. :slight_smile:

10

While I don’t mind [name]Arianne[/name] and [name]Adrianne[/name], I love the sound of [name]Ariana[/name], [name]Arianna[/name] and [name]Annika[/name].

[name]Annika[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name] sounds pretty cool.

As for ‘B’ names…

I like the sound of [name]Bellamy[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name]. Another option might be [name]Bella[/name], though the flow might not be as good.

Other suggestions:

[name]Blythe[/name]
[name]Beatriz[/name]
[name]Bellatrix[/name]
[name]Berenice[/name]
[name]Bianca[/name]
[name]Blair[/name]
[name]Blake[/name]
[name]Brielle[/name] / [name]Briella[/name]
[name]Briona[/name]
[name]Briony[/name]
[name]Bronte[/name]

This list is a combination of styles, so some might appeal more than others, or not at all.

Good luck!

11

Hai! [name]Just[/name] thought I’d slip in and say that going with your preference for A names, I really love the name [name]Adeline[/name], and I think [name]Adeline[/name] [name]Day[/name] would roll off the tongue nicely and isn’t way out in left field. But it isn’t boringly common either. It has a nice ring to it (Like [name]John[/name] [name]Green[/name], whom by the way I love).

12

Yes…I still think [name]Adeline[/name] is a good name!

14

[name]Fiona[/name] [name]Avalon[/name] or [name]Alexandria[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name]

15

[name]Bailey[/name] [name]Suzanna[/name]:

Aaabeilnnsuyz

[name]Ainsley[/name] Zubana
[name]Ana[/name] [name]Suzy[/name] [name]Blaine[/name]
[name]Isla[/name] [name]Una[/name] [name]Bay[/name] [name]Zen[/name]

These options seem more personal.

16

I love [name]Annika[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name]! Also like the idea of [name]Adeline[/name].

My pen name([name]Marina[/name] Dancel) comes from my great-grandmother’s name. Her first name was [name]Maria[/name], and I was named after her(my mn being [name]Marie[/name]). I didn’t want to use her exact name, so I chose [name]Marina[/name] and used a family last name, which I’ve always loved because it was unique. And that, is how [name]Marina[/name] Dancel was born.

17

You guys are, again, so sweet and helpful!

Right now, here’s where I am:
[name]Annika[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name] - I keep coming back here. My first choice for now.
[name]Avalon[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name] - seems to be another favorite amongst you guys. I don’t think I’d put [name]Avalon[/name] before [name]Annika[/name], though.
[name]Bellamy[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name] - this name seems to hit all the checkmarks for me (nice ring to it, somewhat memorable, and closer to my real name than any of the others) but I don’t love it. Yet.
[name]Ariella[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name] - [name]Ariella[/name] is a family name, but I’m just not feeling it. Sorry.

I’ve pretty much settled on [name]Sparrow[/name] for the surname, with one major exception:
[name]Irmgard[/name] Theodorian, I think you’re a genius. I can’t say that I love any of the choices (my name’s weird…) but what if I went with [name]Anna[/name] [name]Blaine[/name]? [name]Anna[/name] S. [name]Blaine[/name]? [name]Blain[/name]?

In the [name]Shade[/name] of the Skyscrapers by [name]Anna[/name] S. [name]Blaine[/name]
In the [name]Shade[/name] of the Skyscrapers by [name]Annika[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name]
In the [name]Shade[/name] of the Skyscrapers by [name]Bellamy[/name] [name]Sparrow[/name]

Gah, I need help.

xoxo,
[name]Bailey[/name] :slight_smile:

18

My first thought was [name]Anna[/name] van Houten, [name]Anna[/name] was the name of the girl in An Imperial Affliction and van Houten for [name]Peter[/name] van Houten. Here are some other ideas (mostly [name]John[/name] [name]Green[/name] inspired)
[name]Anna[/name] van Houten
[name]Felicity[/name] Lister
[name]Esther[/name] [name]Lancaster[/name]
[name]Roth[/name] Jacobson
[name]Hazel[/name] Waters
[name]Eleanor[/name] Liddell
[name]Alice[/name] Dashwood

19

I like [name]Aria[/name] [name]Day[/name], it sounds whimsical. Try fitting it in with your book/novel/whateveryouwrite title, and see if you like it. _____ by [name]Aria[/name] [name]Day[/name]. :slight_smile: