Can I get some help brainstorming a classy pen name so I can finally create my website?

[Guest]

My name doesn’t work for obvious reasons… even adding my middle name in, it doesn’t sound “good,” if that makes sense.

Unfortunately my first and last name are the same as a popular cartoon character (the daughter on American Dad) so that won’t work.

Tried dropping my first name… but Francesca Smith is all over Google as a famous voice actor.

When I used my middle name and my mom’s maiden name, there’s already an author of the same name.

Tried a different, more unique spelling of Smith (Smyth) but again, for both first and middle, one a famous designer and the other an author as well.

Plus, I feel like my first name is a bit too cutesy and childish for a memoir about surviving a dark trauma, so I was hoping I’d find a beautiful-sounding, mature pen name using Francesca. I’m just stuck.

I prefer it to be based on something real— an anagram, an alternate spelling, nickname, etc.

So, I’d love to hear what others are able to think of.

For ideas, here are things I’ve considered doing to make it work: nicknames (Haylo/Halo, Chesca/Cheska, Chess); abbreviating (“H. Lee Franc,” “Frank S. Mythe,” “Hayley Franca”); & using ancestor surnames (Varney, Madewell, Crago, Spanel). If all else fails, I’d consider choosing an unrelated surname that gives a melodic effect (ex: the author Francesca Lia Block, it’s the way the syllables roll off the tongue that make her name memorable).

Thanks for reading!

[Tia]

I'm having the same struggle, but I will say that I like the sound of H. Lee Franc.

[Christine]

Go to the library, and whatever genre you're trying to write, look at the last names and see where your pen name fits.

I like Francesca S Hayley because in alphabetical order it'll read Hayley, Francesca S.

Also, hey cousin!

Explore these too: I just need a website, so I can make a Fiverr account – Can someone point me in the right direction?

[Marina]

Francesca Hayley I think has a beautiful and mysterious ring to it.

[Clara]

Simple is good: Hailey Myths or Hailey F. Myths.
Putting the S at the end of Smith makes in Miths, and switching the Y in Hayley with the I in Miths makes it Hailey Myths.

[Louise]

Francesca is a great name, especially paired with a short last name. Maybe a slightly different last name like Smythe?

[La Book]

Here is a pro tip - dont make a brand based on your name. It can very quickly go wrong. Use simple memorable, meaningful words that are easy and not too personal.

Goes a long way for every culture.

[Theresa]

I took the first letters of my maiden and married names and then used the nick name of my first name as the last so it's L.B. Reese.

I like several of your options as well. I really like the S. Mythe, that's very original.

Also, check out: Is it possible to transfer my Wix website to WordPress?

[Sally]

Don't get too worried about your name being the same as cartoons. People aren't as aware of it as you may think, and if they like your work they will forget about it, if they even knew it. Perhaps just drop Smith.

[Belladonna]

Not sure if this will help give you any ideas or not. But the way I got mine is Belladonna is a poisonous purple flower also known as deadly nightshade. My favorite color is purple and I like the thought of something as fragile as a flower being dangerous. Thorne is because thorns can also be harmful despite how beautiful roses are. So I just added an e to the end of Thorn.

Now originally with Belladonna I had a character I was writing about who could poison people with a kiss so I wanted a name that matched. I think originally I googled baby names that mean poison and didn't find much. Then for some reason I thought of flowers so I googled poisonous flowers. Which then turned into purple poisonous flowers. And eventually I came across Belladonna.

I've not continued to work on that story. But ever since then I've loved the name Belladonna. And when I realized I needed a pen name I decided to stick to the flower theme so that's how I got Thorne.