3.Pablo Neruda
Poet Pen Name Detectives
Click on the info to learn more about poet pen names through time!
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#5
#3
#1
5. Mystery Penname!
#4
1.Lewis Carroll
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2. Joseph Conrad
#2
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4.Bell Hooks
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Mid - 1900s
Real name: Ricardo Eliecer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto ➡️ He picked a new name so his father wouldn’t find out he was writing poetry. His pen name became one of the most famous in the literary world.
Mid - 1800s
Real name: Charles Lutwidge Dodgson ➡️ He chose a pen name to keep his private life and writing life completely separate. His whimsical stories didn’t match his serious job as a math teacher!
Late 1800s
Real name: Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski ➡️ He shortened and anglicized his name so that English readers could understand and pronounce it more easily—while still honoring his Polish roots
J.K. Rowling
Real name: Joanne Rowling ➡️ Her publisher suggested using initials instead of her full name so boys would be more likely to read Harry Potter. She chose “K” to honor her grandmother, Kathleen.
Late 1900s
Real name: Gloria Jean Watkins ➡️ She used lowercase letters for her name to shift attention away from herself and focus it on her powerful ideas and messages.
Pen Named Poets
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Created on October 2, 2025
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Transcript
3.Pablo Neruda
Poet Pen Name Detectives
Click on the info to learn more about poet pen names through time!
+info
#5
#3
#1
5. Mystery Penname!
#4
1.Lewis Carroll
+info
2. Joseph Conrad
#2
+info
+info
4.Bell Hooks
+info
Mid - 1900s
Real name: Ricardo Eliecer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto ➡️ He picked a new name so his father wouldn’t find out he was writing poetry. His pen name became one of the most famous in the literary world.
Mid - 1800s
Real name: Charles Lutwidge Dodgson ➡️ He chose a pen name to keep his private life and writing life completely separate. His whimsical stories didn’t match his serious job as a math teacher!
Late 1800s
Real name: Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski ➡️ He shortened and anglicized his name so that English readers could understand and pronounce it more easily—while still honoring his Polish roots
J.K. Rowling
Real name: Joanne Rowling ➡️ Her publisher suggested using initials instead of her full name so boys would be more likely to read Harry Potter. She chose “K” to honor her grandmother, Kathleen.
Late 1900s
Real name: Gloria Jean Watkins ➡️ She used lowercase letters for her name to shift attention away from herself and focus it on her powerful ideas and messages.