1 of 10
English great George Orwell
ANSWER: Orwell was born Eric Arthur Blair but picked the pseudonym George Orwell in the early 1930s after a buddy suggested it. He later remarked that George Orwell was a “good round English name.” Orwell was born Eric Arthur Blair but picked the pseudonym George Orwell in the early 1930s after a buddy suggested it. He later remarked that George Orwell was a “good round English name.”
2 of 10
The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown
ANSWER: It sounds just average enough to be a pseudonym, but it’s the bestselling author’s real name. It sounds just average enough to be a pseudonym, but it’s the bestselling author’s real name.
3 of 10
Comics legend Stan Lee
ANSWER: Lee was born Stanley Martin Lieber, but he picked up the pseudonym when he went into the comics business. He hoped he could save his given name for more literary work, but things worked out pretty well for him in comics. Lee was born Stanley Martin Lieber, but he picked up the pseudonym when he went into the comics business. He hoped he could save his given name for more literary work, but things worked out pretty well for him in comics.
4 of 10
Spy novelist John le Carre
ANSWER: David John Moore Cornwell was in the British Foreign Office when he published his first spy novel, and since employees weren’t allowed to publish under their own names, he picked up the pseudonym. David John Moore Cornwell was in the British Foreign Office when he published his first spy novel, and since employees weren’t allowed to publish under their own names, he picked up the pseudonym.
5 of 10
Thriller writer John Sandford
ANSWER: The bestselling thriller author is better known as newspaper journalist John Camp. He wasn’t just any newspaperman before his thriller career took off, either; Camp won a Pulitzer in 1986 for a series of articles entitled “Life on the Land: An American Farm Family.” The bestselling thriller author is better known as newspaper journalist John Camp. He wasn’t just any newspaperman before his thriller career took off, either; Camp won a Pulitzer in 1986 for a series of articles entitled “Life on the Land: An American Farm Family.”
6 of 10
Catch-22 author Joseph Heller
7 of 10
Poet Pablo Neruda
ANSWER: The Chilean poet was born Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He selected his pen name to honor Czech poet Jan Neruda and later legally changed his name to Pablo Neruda. The Chilean poet was born Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He selected his pen name to honor Czech poet Jan Neruda and later legally changed his name to Pablo Neruda.
8 of 10
British comic novelist Evelyn Waugh
ANSWER: The hilarious writer was born Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh. His older brother Alec also published novels under his own name. The hilarious writer was born Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh. His older brother Alec also published novels under his own name.
9 of 10
Catcher in the Rye author J.D. Salinger
ANSWER: He may have been a recluse, but the mysterious author went by his own name, Jerome David Salinger. He may have been a recluse, but the mysterious author went by his own name, Jerome David Salinger.
10 of 10
Advice columnist Ann Landers
The Ann Landers pseudonym originally applied to Chicago Sun-Times advice columnist Ruth Crowley, but Eppie Lederer assumed the mantle in 1955 and spent the next 47 years as Ann Landers.
