Pen name generator

Realistic author names that suit the shelf you write for, from soft, lyrical romance names to short, hard thriller names and the initials fantasy readers know. Match your own initials if you like.

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Soft, lyrical names that sit well on a romance cover.

Shortlist

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Press the star on a name to keep it here. The shortlist is shared by all of Feldar's name generators.

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    Why authors use pen names

    • Separate genres. Many authors who write in two genres publish under two names, so readers of one don't buy the other by mistake.
    • Privacy. A pen name keeps a day job, a family or a past apart from the books.
    • A better fit. A name that is hard to spell, hard to search, or shared with a famous person is a real obstacle on a cover and in a search box.
    • Gender. Initials have long been used on covers by authors who don't want readers to assume a gender before they open the book.

    How to choose a pen name

    Write for the shelf

    Names on a genre's covers share a feel. Romance names tend to be lyrical, with soft sounds and surnames such as Hart or Sinclair. Thriller names are short and hard so they read at thumbnail size: one or two syllables each. Literary fiction leans classic. Fantasy and science fiction use initials more than most shelves. The generator's genres follow those patterns.

    Check before you commit

    • Search bookstores. Make sure no author in your genre already publishes under the name, or one close to it.
    • Search the web and social platforms. You will want the website domain and the handles.
    • Say it aloud. Readers will recommend you by voice. If it's hard to say or spell, they can't find you.
    • Think about the alphabet. Shelves are sorted by surname, so your surname decides where readers find you in a shop.

    Matching your initials

    Type up to two letters in Match initials to keep a link to your real name: the first letter for the given name, the second for the surname. Some letter pairs give few results in a genre; try another genre or one letter.

    Questions writers ask

    Is it legal to publish under a pen name?

    Yes. Publishing under a pen name is common and legal. Contracts, payments and tax still use your legal name; ask your publisher or distributor how they record it.

    Can I trademark or copyright a pen name?

    A pen name cannot be protected by copyright in the US (US Copyright Office, Circular 33 lists pseudonyms among works not protected). Some authors register a name as a trademark once it is established; that is a question for a lawyer.

    Should my pen name match my genre?

    It helps. Readers scan covers quickly, and a name that sounds like the rest of the shelf tells them the book is for them.

    Should I use initials?

    Initials suit fantasy, science fiction and literary fiction, and hide your gender if you want them to. They are harder to say aloud and to search for, so pair them with a distinctive surname.

    Are these names real people?

    They combine real first names and surnames, so a real person may share one. Surnames of very famous living authors are left out; search any name before you use it.

    Write the book that goes under the name

    Feldar is a writing app for novelists: plan chapters as scenes, keep your story world on a Canvas, and export the manuscript as Word, PDF, Markdown or text when it's ready.

    Start writing free See how Feldar works

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