Undercoyerl Unmasking Famous Names

Transcription

1 Undercoyerl Unmasking Famous Names By Marissa Shapiro Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be someone else? r to be yourself, but hide your identity by using a different name? NEW MN GIRLS march/apri! 2009

2 If you have, you're in good company. Joanne Kathleen Rowling uses another name. So do Caryn Johnson and Eithne Ni Bhraonain. Are you stumped? If you haven't guessed already, Joanne is J.K. Rowling! Caryn is Whoopi Goldberg, and Eithne is Enya! I'm writing this article under the name Marissa Shapiro. But is that my real name, or a "pen name"? Pen names or stage names are names used by a writer or entertainer that are different from their real names. There are many reasons to use a different name. Maybe a singer thinks a shorter name is easier for her fans to remember. A writer might use a different name to hide that she's a woman. That's what happened with J.K. Rowling! Her publisher said that boys wouldn't be as interested in a book by a woman. Stort and sweetl Sometimes celebrities use names that are easier to say or remember than their real names. Irish singer Eithne Ni Bhraonain changed her Gaelic name to Enya because she thought her real name would be hard for American audiences. "Eithne" is pronounced "Enya," so she started spelling it that way! And it's a lot easier to Google "Enya" than "Eithne Ni Bhraonain!" thers want a simple, catchy name. Jodie Foster was born Alicia Christian Foster. Madonna's first name really is Madonna, but she dropped her last name (Ciccone). Just "Madonna" is more dramatic and memorable. What-o-nym? A pseudonym, pronounced soo-doe-nim, is an alias, false name, stage name, or pen name! ÍD w fd C S o o ^ < (t) fd ^ ^ 2 S? 9. ^ ^ "D ñ id ^ -^ q ^ in m Ul Q) Q. 0) TI 0} ~ ÍD Û_ QJ fd Ü.? s ÍD û) m t Is - o

3 Too etiinic? Sometimes entertainers change their names if they think they sound "too ethnic." They may do it on their ov\/n or be pressured by agents and managers. Winona Horov\/itz became Winona Ryder. Natalie Portman was Natalie Hershlag. But it's much less common today. Jennifer Lopez uses her real name and shows off her Latina roots. Alicia Silverstone proudly uses her Jewishsounding name. call lier Hr.I Today., it's no secret that J.K. Rowling, whose Harry Potter books are one of the most successful series ever, is a woman. For centuries, women have used male-sounding names to be accepted. Have you heard of the famous novel Jane Eyre? Charlotte Bronte wrote it under the name Currer Bell. Her sisters also wrote under men's names so their publishers would think they were men! In the mid-18s, few pubhshers worked with women authors. The Bronte sisters also hid their writing careers from their own father! He wanted his daughters to be traditional women. I think it's too bad that so many famous women don't use their real names. But there's another way to look at it. Using a different name can mean they aren't judged by their gender. They can be free to follow their dreams! I'd rather see their art created under a different name than not at all.# NEW MN GIRLS march/aphi 2009

4 Do it Yourself Whether you call it a pen name, pseudonym, nom de plume (French for pen name), or stage name, it does the same thing: Hide your real identity. Try îtî Your Name in Lights! Want a cool stage name? Your first pet's name + the name of the hospital where you were born= your diva name! Mine would be Shauna St. Mary! Want a pen name? Your middle name + your mother's middle name or birth name= you, the author! Mine would be Elizabeth Baker! Unleash your inner pop star! Sing It! The type of vehicle your parents drive your favorite color= you, the famous singer! Mine would be Liberty Blue! Marissa Shapiro is the author's real name! She's 12 and from New York. Marissa lives with her parents and her crazy poodle, Mickey. She likes to listen to music, write, make jewelry, and read. Marissa enjoys Chinese takeout and movies, especially together!,- \

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