Pen name help?

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

So I strongly dislike my last name. I refuse to let my father's family name take credit for anything I do (or at least, my writing). I've also posted about not being too fond of my first name, it being a boys name (though, after some chats with people here I have become less loathing of it, so thanks :) for that)

I'm usually very interested in the meaning of names for symbolism, foreshadowing, etc. But for a pen name (though I'm still curious of meanings) I'm willing to forget about it for something that fits so well.

I would most likely use a middle name with the pen name, but it's not critical that there be one.

I'd love to hear any suggestions you have for first, middle, and/or last(sur?) names. I'm into classics and creative names.

Here are a few I have tried in the past (I write a By line to feel it out):

Emmalina Embers Eve
Samantha Grace
Annaliese Rhythme (anna-leece-ay)(rhyth-may)
Cassandra Claire Chapman

I don't think those fit me very well, but I love the names. If you can provide a few suggestions I'll play mix-and-match for awhile. Thanks :)

Comments

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

I like that idea, but I don't think Casey works as a surname?

They're (one solitairy novel, and one series) all fiction, and though they reads like a story it mostly mocks Hollywood/Pop-culture type things.

[samaside.livejournal.com]

Casey is a pretty common surname and I think it'd actually work pretty well.

Anne Casey
Abigail Casey
Delia Casey
Delilah Casey
Gwen Casey
Jacqueline Casey
Joanna Casey
June Casey
Lauren Casey
Lana Casey
Onya Casey
Olivia Casey
Meredith Casey
Nicole Casey
Tatum Casey
ETC.

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

I've never heard it as a surname.

Is Tatum really a girls name? I've never heard of 'Onya' either. Looks like "Ima leave it onya' =/

I think even as a surname I still just dislike my n ame lol. Because I like a lot of those first names, but not paired with Casey =/

[samaside.livejournal.com]

Well, my dad is stationed at Camp Garrison and right across the street is Camp Casey and all army bases are named after people's surnames. It's an Irish last name complete with crest and all.

I've only known female Tatums. But then I only knew female Casey's up until I got into college, too.

[duckduckcaboose.livejournal.com]

As samaside said, Casey is a legitimate surname (there is a list here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey) of already famous people with the surname Casey). The list I came up with:
Alison Casey
Carla Casey
Cate Casey
Emma Casey
Gemma Casey
Hanna[h] Casey
Jennifer Casey
Lydia Casey
Marie Casey
Michele Casey
Nina Casey

I think it should definitely be a pretty popular, feminine name if you're writing a pop-culture mockery. You don't want to be using a name like Agatha or Brunhilda even though names like that are kind of fun too.

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

I wasn't trying to say it wasn't legit, sorry. Just never heard it before.

I *love* the name Cate spelled with a C (everyone around here uses a K which is fine but I love the C) and I can even see using Cate Casey. But one of the lead characters in my first novel is Lavinia-Cate and goes by Cate to some. I think it's bad to use a character's name as yours and vice versa?

Emma I also love. Nina was my best friend in HS who's moved on now so for sentamental/sappy/sad reason I probably wouldn't use that, but I like it.

That's a good point about the popular, feminine name. It makes a lot of sense I just never thought of it that way.

[duckduckcaboose.livejournal.com]

I actually prefer it with a K too, but I think Cate Casey looks better, lol.

But yeah with pen names, you should really use a pen name that you could just as easily give to a character. For example, J.K. Rowling could just go by Joanna K. Rowling, but J.K. seems to fit in better with the genre.