Choosing an author name for scientific journals & dealing with the consequences

[Sherman Firefly]

Can you use a stage name, i.e a made up one, as long you use it consistently?

I have no idea, I can ask my supervisor that, though I think it isn't ideal.

Worth a try but if you pick one make sure you google it before you finalise it. You wouldn't want to get confused with a porn star by accident!

[Claireliontamer]

Names really are a pain as a woman, I wish there wasn't this big thing about changing names when you get married.  I kind of wish I'd kept my maiden name when I made the mistake of getting married.

[xSilverPhinx]

Can you use a stage name, i.e a made up one, as long you use it consistently?

I have no idea, I can ask my supervisor that, though I think it isn't ideal.

Worth a try but if you pick one make sure you google it before you finalise it. You wouldn't want to get confused with a porn star by accident!

Now that would be tragically funny!

[xSilverPhinx]

I know at least one woman who refused to use her married surname professionaly, having become well known with her maiden name. Her new husband did not like it but, wisely,  did not make an issue if it. She was a hard headed senior commodities broker who earned five times his sslary as a senior teacher.

But, when dealing with the emotions of insecure people . . .

Sorry, xSP, made sn assumption there, most narcisistic people I have met seem to be insecure personalities.

In my experience as well.

[Papasito Bruno]

I'm going through a bit of a dilemma; I need to choose an author name so that I can be included among other coauthors in a couple of research projects I'm involved in.

It's an important decision as the name I choose will the the one I will be identified by throughout what I hope will be a prosperous career, and it shouldn't be changed midway to avoid confusion. I thought this through and the way I see it I have two choices, I could keep my surname or go with my second middle name as my last name.

To tell the truth, I've already sort of decided to go with my second middle name. Why not my last name like most other people? Because it's extremely common in Portuguese-speaking countries. Coupled with a first name that is just as common I fear it won't make any sort of lasting impression. 

Ok, so I've sort of chosen to go with my second middle name. Now, how do I tell my narcissistic father who is looking for every opportunity to project onto his sons and daughters that I won't be building a career using his last name?  There's a slim chance he won't care much but if I know him I know he'll be deeply offended.

How do I walk on those eggshells?

I think you should go with your second middle name as the last name, that way you never, ever have to worry about changing it; also I think sometimes rather than walking on eggshells, you should just stomp the fuck out of those huevos!


P.S. What is your second-middle name Fernanda?

[xSilverPhinx]

I think you should go with your second middle name as the last name, that way you never, ever have to worry about changing it; also I think sometimes rather than walking on eggshells, you should just stomp the fuck out of those huevos!

It's what I feel like doing...it's definitely what I feel like doing. I wasn't brought into existence to rub anybody's ego. 

P.S. What is your second-middle name Fernanda?

Check your PMs.

[Sherman Firefly]

I have discussed this issue with my wife and forget my thought of a stage name. It's frowned upon in academia apparently. 

[solidsquid]

I don't think it's really too big a deal what you pick as long as you don't mind people knowing you by that name professionally.  Even pen names aren't without precedence in professional publications, such as W.S. Gosset using the pen name "Student" when publishing about his t-test.  Albeit, his decision was to circumvent company policy at the time restricting publications by their employees.

[xSilverPhinx]

I don't think it's really too big a deal what you pick as long as you don't mind people knowing you by that name professionally.  Even pen names aren't without precedence in professional publications, such as W.S. Gosset using the pen name "Student" when publishing about his t-test.  Albeit, his decision was to circumvent company policy at the time restricting publications by their employees.

Cool, I didn't know that "Student" wasn't his real name, I just thought it was an odd one to have. 

[xSilverPhinx]

I have discussed this issue with my wife and forget my thought of a stage name. It's frowned upon in academia apparently.

Yeah, I don't know anybody who has adopted another name to go by, and don't know why anybody would in the first place, unless there are restrictions as solidsquid mentioned, or they just really hate their name.

That's not the case with me, the only issue I have with my last name is that it's really common. Common is good in some situations, but not in this one, IMO. 

[Sherman Firefly]

I have discussed this issue with my wife and forget my thought of a stage name. It's frowned upon in academia apparently.

Yeah, I don't know anybody who has adopted another name to go by, and don't know why anybody would in the first place, unless there are restrictions as solidsquid mentioned, or they just really hate their name.

That's not the case with me, the only issue I have with my last name is that it's really common. Common is good in some situations, but not in this one, IMO.

There would be one good reason for having a pseudonym if your name was say, Albert Einstein. That would cause problems 

[No one]

How about Gezuss H Krystt?

[Claireliontamer]

I don't think it's really too big a deal what you pick as long as you don't mind people knowing you by that name professionally.  Even pen names aren't without precedence in professional publications, such as W.S. Gosset using the pen name "Student" when publishing about his t-test.  Albeit, his decision was to circumvent company policy at the time restricting publications by their employees.

That is interesting, never knew that about the Student's T-test.

[xSilverPhinx]

How about Gezuss H Krystt?

I rather like Cheesus better. It's so cheesy, it's great!

[xSilverPhinx]

I've talked to my supervisor about my dilema and he suggested I keep both (not hyphenated). I'm thinking of going with that as there are no search results in Pubmed or Google Scholar that match it. 



-~-

I'm a mess

If this isn't a case of paralysis by analysis then I don't know what is. But I think I've got it figured out now.