It’s no secret that many authors use pen names for one reason or another, whether it be for their entire career or just for selected works. But some authors famous by there real names also used a nom de plume that you may not be as familiar with.
The folks over at Jonkers Rare Books have put together a great infographic exploring a wide variety of author pen names, from the rare names that you may not have heard of yet to those that are more familiar (here’s looking at you, Mark Twain).
For instance, can you name the famous English author that (briefly) wrote under the name Boz? What about the famous writer that wrote many stories under the name Man Without a Spleen?
Test your knowledge by clicking here or on the image above to see the full infographic. (*Note: You may have to click zoom on the full graphic to see it correctly in your browser.)
Additionally, below is a list of authors and their pen names from the infographic:
Pen Name: A.M. Barnard
Real Name: Louisa May Alcott
Pen Names: Acton Bell, Ellis Bell, Currer Bell
Real Names: Anne Bronte, Emily Bronte, Charlotte Bronte
Pen Name: Ayn Rand
Real Name: Alisa Zinov’yevna Rosenbaum
Pen Name: Barbara Vine
Real Name: Ruth Rendell
Pen Name: Boz
Real Name: Charles Dickens
Pen Name: Brynjolf Bjarme
Real Name: Henrik Ibsen
Pen Name: Claire Morgan
Real Name: Patricia Highsmith
Pen Name: Clive Hamilton
Real Name: C.S. Lewis
Pen Name: Dan Kavanagh
Real Name: Julian Barnes
Pen Name: Dr. Seuss and Theo LeSieg
Real Name: Theodor Seuss Geisel
Pen Name: George Eliot
Real Name: Mary Ann Evans
Pen Name: George Orwell
Real Name: Eric Arthur Blair
Pen Name: Lewis Carroll
Real Name: Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
Pen Name: Man Without a Spleen and Antosha Chekhonte
Real Name: Anton Chekhov
Pen Name: Mark Twain
Real Name: Samuel Langhorne Clemens
Pen Name: Mary Westmacott
Real Name: Agatha Christie
Pen Name: Richard Bachman
Real Name: Stephen King
Pen Name: Robert Galbraith
Real Name: J.K. Rowling
Pen Name: Rosamond Smith
Real Name: Joyce Carol Oates
Pen Name: Voltaire
Real Name: Francois-Marie Arouet
