Literary initials

A surprisingly large number of authors choose to use some form of initials in their name when it appears in their literary work. This includes some of the most famous authors of the 20th century - D. H. Lawrence, J. D. Salinger, T. S. Eliot, J. R. R. Tolkien, etc - and also a host of lesser-known writers. The reason for this may be vanity, a desire to establish a recognizable brand, or simply to come up with a stylish pen name for the purposes of print.

List of well-known literary initials

Well-known initials and their corresponding full names are listed below.

A to E

* A. A. Milne -- Alan Alexander Milne
* A. B. Guthrie -- Alfred Bertram Guthrie
* A. C. Benson -- Arthur Christopher Benson
* A. E. Coppard -- Alfred Edgar Coppard
* A. E. Housman -- Alfred Edward Housman
* A. E. W. Mason -- Alfred Edward Woodley Mason
* A. J. Ayer -- Alfred Jules Ayer
* A. J. Cronin -- Archibald Joseph Cronin
* A. J. Liebling -- Abbott Joseph Liebling
* A. J. P. Taylor -- Alan John Percivale Taylor
* A. L. Barker -- Audrey Lilian Barker
* A. L. Kennedy -- Alison Louise Kennedy
* A. L. Rowse -- Alfred Leslie Rowse
* A. M. Homes -- Amy M. Homes
* A. N. Wilson -- Andrew Norman Wilson
* Arthur C. Clarke -- Arthur Charles Clarke
* A. S. Byatt -- Antonia Susan Byatt
* A. S. J. Tessimond -- Arthur Seymour John Tessimond
* A. S. Neill -- Alexander Sutherland Neill

* B. F. Skinner -- Burrhus Frederic Skinner
* B. S. Johnson -- Bryan Stanley Johnson

* C. H. B. Kitchin -- Clifford Henry Benn Kitchin
* C. J. Sansom
* C. L. R. James -- Cyril Lionel Robert James
* C. P. Cavafy -- Constantine Petrou Cavafy
* C. P. Snow -- Charles Percy Snow
* C. S. Calverley -- Charles Stuart Calverley
* C. S. Forester -- Cecil Scott Forester
* C. S. Lewis -- Clive Staples Lewis
* C. V. Wedgwood -- Cicely Veronica Wedgwood

* D. H. Lawrence -- David Herbert Lawrence
* D. J. Enright -- Dennis Joseph Enright
* D. J. Taylor -- David John Taylor
* D. K. Broster -- Dorothy Kathleen Broster
* D. M. Thomas -- Donald Michael Thomas

* E. Annie Proulx -- Edna Annie Proulx
* E. Nesbit -- Edith Nesbit
* E. B. White -- Elwyn Brooks White
* e. e. cummings (did not conventionally spell name with capital letters) -- Edward Estlin Cummings
* E. F. Benson -- Edward Frederic Benson
* E. H. Young -- Emily Hilda Young
* E. L. Doctorow -- Edgar Lawrence Doctorow
* E. M. Delafield -- Edmée Elizabeth Monica Dashwood (pseudonym)
* E. M. Forster -- Edward Morgan Forster
* ER Braithwaite -- Edward Ricardo Braithwaite
* Ernest J. Gaines -- Ernest James Gaines
* E. T. A. Hoffmann -- Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann
* E. W. Swanton -- Ernest William Swanton

F to M

* F. Scott Fitzgerald -- Francis Scott Fitzgerald
* F. O. Matthiessen -- Francis Otto Matthiessen
* F. R. Leavis -- Frank Raymond Leavis

* G. B. Shaw -- George Bernard Shaw
* G. K. Chesterton -- Gilbert Keith Chesterton
* G. M. Trevelyan -- George Macaulay Trevelyan

* H. A. Rey -- Hans Augusto Rey
* H.D. -- Hilda Doolittle
* H. E. Bates -- Herbert Ernest Bates
* H. G. Wells -- Herbert George Wells
* H. H. Munro -- Hector Hugh Munro (pen name: Saki)
* H. J. Massingham -- Harold John Massingham
* H. L. Mencken -- Henry Louis Mencken
* H. M. Tomlinson -- Henry Major Tomlinson
* H. P. Lovecraft -- Howard Phillips Lovecraft
* Hunter S. Thompson -- Hunter Stockton Thompson

* I. A. Richards -- Ivor Armstrong Richards
* Iain M. Banks -- Iain Menzies Banks
* I. F. Stone -- Isidor Feinstein Stone

* J. Meade Falkner -- John Meade Falkner
* James A. Michener -- James Albert Michener
* J. B. Priestley -- John Boynton Priestley
* J. D. Beresford -- John Davys Beresford
* J. D. Salinger -- Jerome David Salinger
* Jerome K. Jerome -- Jerome Klapka Jerome
* J. G. Ballard -- James Graham Ballard
* J. G. Farrell -- James Gordon Farrell
* J. H. Plumb -- John Harold Plumb
* J. I. M. Stewart -- John Innes Mackintosh Stewart
* J. K. Rowling -- Joanne Kathleen Rowling
* J. L. Carr -- Joseph Lloyd Carr
* J. M. Barrie -- James Matthew Barrie
* J. M. Coetzee -- John Michael Coetzee
* J. M. Synge -- John Millington Synge
* John D. MacDonald -- John Dann MacDonald
* J. P. Donleavy -- James Patrick Donleavy
* J. R. Ackerley -- Joe Randolph Ackerley
* J. R. R. Tolkien -- John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

* L. Frank Baum -- Lyman Frank Baum
* L. Sprague de Camp -- Lyon Sprague de Camp
* L. A. G. Strong -- Leonard Alfred George Strong
* L. H. Myers -- Leopold Hamilton Myers
* L. P. Hartley -- Leslie Poles Hartley

* M. R. James -- Montague Rhodes James

N to Z

* Neil M. Gunn -- Neil Miller Gunn
* N. F. Simpson -- Norman Frederick Simpson

* P. B. Shelley -- Percy Bysshe Shelley
* P. C. Wren -- Percival Christopher Wren
* P. D. James -- Phyllis Dorothy James
* Pearl S. Buck -- Pearl Sydenstricker Buck
* P. G. Wodehouse -- Pelham Grenville Wodehouse
* P. H. Newby -- Percy Howard Newby
* Philip K. Dick -- Philip Kindred Dick
* P. J. O'Rourke -- Patrick Jake O'Rourke
* P. N. Furbank -- Philip Nicholas Furbank
* Poppy Z. Brite

* R. C. Hutchinson -- Ray Coryton Hutchinson
* R. C. Lehmann -- Rudolph Chambers Lehmann
* R. C. Robertson-Glasgow Raymond Charles Robertson-Glasgow
* R. C. Sherriff -- Robert Cedric Sherriff
* R. D. Blackmore -- Richard Doddridge Blackmore
* R. E. Vernède -- Robert Ernest Vernède
* R. G. Collingwood -- Robin George Collingwood
* R. H. Mottram -- Ralph Hale Mottram
* R. H. Tawney -- Richard Henry Tawney
* R. L. Stevenson -- Robert Louis Stevenson
* R. M. Ballantyne -- Robert Michael Ballantyne
* R. S. Thomas -- Ronald Stuart Thomas

* S. E. Hinton -- Susan Eloise Hinton
* S. T. Joshi -- Sunand Tryambak Joshi

* T. Coraghessan Boyle -- Thomas Coraghessan Boyle
* T. B. Macaulay -- Thomas Babington Macaulay
* T. E. Hulme -- Thomas Ernest Hulme
* T. E. Lawrence -- Thomas Edward Lawrence
* T. H. White -- Terence Hanbury White
* T. S. Eliot -- Thomas Stearns Eliot

* U. A. Fanthorpe -- Ursula Askham Fanthorpe
* Ursula K. Le Guin -- Ursula Kroeber Le Guin

* V. S. Naipaul -- Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul
* V. S. Pritchett -- Victor Sawdon Pritchett

* W. Somerset Maugham -- William Somerset Maugham
* W. B. Yeats -- William Butler Yeats
* W. E. Henley -- William Ernest Henley
* W. E. B. Du Bois -- William Edward Burghardt Du Bois
* W. G. Sebald -- Winfried Georg Sebald
* W. H. Auden -- Wystan Hugh Auden
* W. H. Davies -- William Henry Davies
* W. S. Graham -- William Sydney Graham