Pen name things -- opinions, please!

[misslucyjane]

I'll sum up -- first pen name was too common, my real name is way too common, and my preferred variation of my real name is also too common.

I need a pen name that stands out. My example, though I don't really care for his writing, is T. Coraghessen Boyle: an Irish mouthful you're not going to find ten times over on Amazon. I actually had a name I thought was unique: Gaynor Gray, Gaynor being another Cornish variation on Jennifer (which is a Cornish version of Guenivere to begin with), and gray being like brown, a blend of colors. Only there's another author whose name is Gaynor Gray. So that eliminates that option.

Earlier this week I was like, "Screw it, I'm Misslucyjane everywhere, let's lean into that," but now I'm thinking that's maybe not the best idea? Or maybe it is? Ugh.

Here's what I did this morning:
* See if there are other Cornish variations of Jennifer
* Go to nameberry.com and look up Jennifer
* Find many names that have the same "feel" as well as many other Cornish names that I like
* Remember Jennifer means "white wave" so maybe I could use Ocean or Wave? Or rather Wavie, which is a name I heard as a girl and always liked
* Write down a list of Cornish names I think are cool
* Narrow it down to:

Ocean Gray (which feels like a pun)
Wavie Gray (which I like a lot but also makes me think of Wavy Gravy)
Endellion Gray: has more of the T. Coraghessen Boyle feel than any other name I've considered

(Other suggestions from nameberry.com: Gentry, Genesis, Caja, Elowen, Gwennol, Rowenna, Zenna.)

I've already checked and nobody is using any of those three names. What do you think?

EDIT: Or... J. Endellion Brown.

Yeah. I kind of like that.

Comments

[slippery_fish]

Assuming you're looking for a name to self-publish under: I think it kinda depends on the genre you want to publish in? A very special" name might make you easy to find but it also might scare away potential readers if they are not used to that style of name...

So maybe look into the style of names that are common and adjust the "special" level according to what you find?

[misslucyjane]

I'm not worried about standing out so much as I don't want to be confused with other authors.

That said, most of the other authors on the first page of Amazon in my genre use either initials or gendered names, which is a change from when I first started when everyone used initials or gender-neutral pseudonyms.

[slippery_fish]

That said, most of the other authors on the first page of Amazon in my genre use either initials or gendered names, which is a change from when I first started when everyone used initials or gender-neutral pseudonyms.

That's interesting. I guess it's the same with a specific style of book title becoming popular.

Though that also means a certain style of name might get as annoying as a certain style of book titles. :D

So a more "timeless" name might be a better way to go?

[misslucyjane]

You mean like the "(Noun) of (Noun) and (Noun)" style of titles? They make me roll my eyes.

[slippery_fish]

Exactly. I think right now "[insert name here] [insert verb here]" is the go-to title. :D

It just gets very old fast.