Guess the Famous Author from Their Eccentric Nickname

Ernest Hemingway had a long-standing affection for nicknames. As a child, he dreamed up a family of bears, dubbing his father “Da Bear,” his mother “Fweetie” (or “Sweetie”), and his older sister “Sissy Bear.” Later in life, Hemingway himself adopted monikers like “Papa” and “Honest Ernie.” His children were not exempt from this penchant, with John being called “Bumby,” Patrick “Mousie,” and Gregory “Gigi.”

Hemingway wasn’t the only famed author to acquire a nickname, though he might have imbued more enthusiasm into the practice than most. Matching writers to their unconventional monikers is quite the entertaining challenge. For instance, consider an author whose interest in Russian Orthodox religion led military colleagues to christen him “Monk Photius.” This particular sobriquet was modeled after Constantinople patriarch Photius I. Which author could it be? The choices are George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoevsky, or Vladimir Nabokov.

Another notable author, whose self-importance post-World War I earned him the nickname “Count No Account,” found himself characterized this way while still in training. Was it Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, or A.A. Milne?

In another instance, a writer’s speech impediment turned into a quirky nickname. Unable to articulate his last name without stuttering, people began calling him “Dodo.” He embraced this so much that he included a dodo bird in one of his novels. The contenders for this name are Norman Mailer, Raymond Chandler, and Lewis Carroll.

It’s fascinating to see how appearances can also inspire nicknames. One Irish author’s pointy beard prompted chorus girls to dub him “Herr Satan,” a title he embraced wholeheartedly. Was this unique epithet bestowed upon Oscar Wilde, Robert Louis Stevenson, or James Joyce?

Some nicknames stemmed from childhood habits and precociousness. For instance, a boy who was so studious that peers nicknamed him “Dictionary” later became renowned for a work titled after a W.B. Yeats poem. Who might this be? The options include Evelyn Waugh, Thomas Hardy, and Chinua Achebe.

Sometimes nicknames come from familial fondness. An author who was endearingly known as “Miss Pussy Jones” by those close to her won a Pulitzer Prize. Was she Gertrude Stein, Edith Wharton, or Louisa May Alcott?

Authors known for their serious narrative styles often had humorous backstories. For example, one writer famous for a nonlinear narrative was called “Goat” as a child due to her playful nature. Could this be Mary Shelley, Emily Brontë, or Virginia Woolf?

Another intriguing case is a renowned 20th-century writer nicknamed “Castor” by an early boyfriend, perhaps due to her busyness. The candidates for this are Harper Lee, Simone de Beauvoir, and Zora Neale Hurston.

Some nicknames are less flattering but still fascinating. An author with flowing hair and fair complexion was called the “Lady of Christ’s.” This intriguing case includes options such as John Milton, Edmund Spenser, and Dante Alighieri.

Another instance involves a French novelist dubbed “The Poet” in a mocking fashion because of his poor poetry. He was either Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo, or Honoré de Balzac.

Lastly, before penning a dystopian classic, a British author was so awkward that he was labeled “Ogie” (meaning “ogre”) by those around him. Was this unfortunate nickname given to Anthony Burgess, Aldous Huxley, or Ray Bradbury?

Some authors are better known by their pseudonyms than nicknames. Stephen King, for instance, wrote under the name Richard Bachman to counter his publisher’s worries about his prolific output. Similarly, Susan Eloise Hinton became S.E. Hinton for “The Outsiders” to avoid gender biases.

There are rare occasions where a nickname turns into a pen name. Charles Dickens published some of his early works under a nickname he gave his brother Augustus, “Moses.” However, Dickens pronounced it through his nose as “Boses” or “Boz.” Some of Dickens’ first stories were authored by “Boz.” Eventually, he let go of it, encouraging readers to enjoy “A Tale of Two Cities” by Dickens rather than “Boz.”

Source: Mental Floss