Have you ever heard of a ‘nom de guerre’? A ‘nom de guerre’ is actually a pseudonym–a name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from his or her original name. Pseudonyms are most often used to hide an individual’s real identity. We are talking about writer’s pen names, stage names of actors and musicians, resistance fighters or terrorists, criminals. There can be many reasons why a person might want to use a ‘nom de guerre’. Some people even end up with ‘nom de guerres’ by accident!

I have a European friend who has an unusual name which is Turkish in origin, although he is not at all Turkish. He shared with me that this name is a ‘nom de guerre’. Evidently, his Jewish family from Rome, went into hiding on the island of Cyprus during World War II in order to escape persecution. When they arrived in Cyprus, part of their new identity included taking an alias name — a Turkish name so common that it is like ‘Smith’ in Turkey.

After the war, the family returned to Rome and took back their original surname. My friend, who was abandoned by his father, was left with this ‘nom de guerre’. No one thought about him as a child, whether or not he should have his original family name, so by accidental circumstance he has spent his whole life with this odd Turkish name which has no relation to him or his family roots.

For security reasons, many leaders during wars or civil uprisings have taken pseudonyms. Field Marshall Rommel was known as ‘the Desert Fox’ and very few people know that Stalin’s real name was Iossif Vissarionovitch Djougachvili. Some ‘nom de guerre’ were actually code names used during various resistance movements or civil uprisings.

Even more common is the use of pseudonyms by artists: Sting, Madonna, Bono, and Lady Gaga are but a few examples. Many authors have written under their ‘nom de plume’, especially when someone is ghost-writing a book or play. Authors who write in fiction and non-fiction may use pen names to avoid confusing their readers such as the mathematician Charles Dodgson, who wrote fantasy novels under the pen name of Lewis Caroll (Alice in Wonderland). The Bronte family used pseudonyms for their early work so that residents in their local communities did not know that their works related to the neighborhood people. The Brontes used their neighbors as inspiration for characters in many of their books.

Criminals may use aliases, fictitious business names, and dummy corporations to hide their identity or to impersonate other persons or entities in order to commit fraud.

I remember meeting a model once who introduced herself with her ‘nom de guerre’ as if I should know who she was. I thought this was a very presumptuous introduction and would have preferred being introduced to her by her given name.