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

[duckduckcaboose.livejournal.com]

How would you feel about using your first name as your surname and giving yourself a new first name that sounds fitting?

Also, what genre do you usually write? Because that has a lot to do with your nom de plume, as well.

[idrinkacidrain.livejournal.com]

...

PLZ GOOGLE SEARCH CASSANDRA CLAIRE.

HUGE HP FANFIC THING.



Don't really like any of the names bar Eve.

And there is no way I'd ever pronounce Anneliese anna-leece-ay. Only ann-ne-lees-se or anna-lees.

[moldycelery.livejournal.com]

Roffle, Cassandra Claire. I mean, if you want to be associated with shit HP fanfics, then go for it...

But in all serious, it depends on what sort of penname. If you're just publishing on the internet then I like Emmalina Embers Eve. But beyond that, they're far too cutesy for a legit penname. My advice is to take some variant of your own name (example, my name is Margaret, so I'd pick Marguerite or Margarita) and maybe a different family surname (such as your grandmother's maiden name or something).

Also, a middle name is a bit superfluous. If you want, have an initial, but not a full name.

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

I picked Cassandra Claire because my first name is Casey, but I hate that it's masculine and a nn of another name. Claire means bright/clear. How is it associated with HP fanfics? I stay out of fanfics these days so...

I have a sigle [fiction] novel, and a series I'm hoping to publish, like 'out in the world' away from the internet.

Cassandra is a variant of my own name, but you mocked that so what do you suggest I use instead? I don't know enough family history to chose my grandmother's maiden name. I know her first name but it doesn't fit me.

As I said, I would probably use a middle name, as I like them, and I want a full name to be signed to the work, so I would like a middle name. If I end up not liking them enough, or just don't find one then that's fine, but I'd rather try for one for now.

[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.

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

I've stayed out of fanfics these days so ... I have no idea how Cassandra Claire relates to Harry Potter? I picked Cassandra Claire because my first name is Casey, but I hate that it's masculine and a nn of another name. Claire means bright/clear and suppose clarity is something I want/need at times...

There was an accent over the last "e"s in Anneliese and Rhythme, to make them french and with accents.

[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.

[samaside.livejournal.com]

I don't think Casey is masculine. Also, i don't think the HP connection matters if it's serious fiction and not just online stuff.

[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 =/

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

The only Caseys I've met (spelled that way) are boys, and I see it on here often as a boys name, never as a girls name. So it's very boy-ish to me. Masculine was the wrong word, sorry. But I fully see it as a boys name =/

It's absolutly not online stuff. I can't/won't even post online because of fear of theft, etc, so it's just not associated with the internet at all. But the HP connection would still be an issue because internetz is not the only place people talk about HP and fanfics are becoming increasingly popular so I'll avoid that as best as I can (for someone not into fanfics anymore...)

[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.

[moldycelery.livejournal.com]

Google "Cassandra Claire." I'm also fairly sure she's been published (oh, what in the world is life coming to) so you probably wouldn't even be able to use it, anyway.

Cassandra isn't a variant of Casey; honestly, I like the idea someone suggested above of Casey as the surname, since it originally was an Irish surname.

Some other first name ideas:
Elizabeth Casey
Marie Casey
Estella Casey
Helena Casey
Rosamund Casey
Evelyn Casey
Clara Casey
Marta Casey

Honestly, I think a middle name has the potential to make a cover look cluttered. Also, it's kind of unneeded, unless there's already an author with the same name.

[satunian.livejournal.com]

I like Cassandra Chapman, actually. I like Claire, but there it kinda gives a C overkill. Ever try tinkering with a different middle name for that one?

Renee, Joyce, June, Faith

Here are some other names instead of Cassandra as well:

Natalie, Sophie/Sophia, Laura, Evelyn, Jacqueline, G/Jillian, Vivian, Vanessa.

[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]

Oh, that's totally not what I was going for lol thanks.

[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.

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

I've known girls in school who's names were Cassandra but they went by Casey (I was beaten up by one who thought I *stole* her name lol but whatev to her).

I love Elizabeth, Estella, and Evelyn. But I only like Elizabeth Casey (it's so weird seing my first name as a last name lol). Maybe Estella Casey hmm.

I love middle names, that's why I usually like to keep it in, but you have a good point about it being crowded.

Thanks :)

[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.

[idrinkacidrain.livejournal.com]

You should probably say there were accents, then.

http://wiki.fandomwank.com/index.php/Cassandra_Claire

HUUUUGE plagiarism thing. Really not a good idea to have that as your pen name... She's also publishing under Cassandra Clare (err, minus the 'i' for some reason) these days.

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

Sorry. I thought I had. It was late, and I went to bed right after posting.

Thanks for the link. I had no idea that name was 'famous' in writing.

[idrinkacidrain.livejournal.com]

Infamous, really. Not a good idea.

If your target market is not French or those without basic knowledge of the language, perhaps those two would be bad ideas. :/

[todaydream.livejournal.com]

I'm also fairly sure she's been published

Yep, she is. She wrote the mortality instruments trilogy, or something like that.

[ifancylust.livejournal.com]

honestly, i think they're all reallyyyy over the top and kind of unbelievable.

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

...even Samantha Grace?

[ifancylust.livejournal.com]

grace would be used as a last name, not a middle..right?

[indicinderelly.livejournal.com]

It could work either way...