List of literary initials

A 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.

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

A[edit]

A. A. Milne – Alan Alexander Milne
A. B. "Banjo" Paterson – Andrew Barton Paterson
A. B. Guthrie – Alfred Bertram Guthrie
A. C. Benson – Arthur Christopher Benson
A. C. Q. W. – Anna Cabot Quincy Waterston
A. C. Waldron – Adelaide Cilley Waldron
A. C. de la Mare – Albinia Catherine de la Mare
A. D. Hope – Alec Derwent Hope
A. D. Miller – Andrew D Miller
A. E. Coppard – Alfred Edgar Coppard
A. E. Levett – Ada Elizabeth Levett
A. E. Housman – Alfred Edward Housman
A. E. Stallings – Alicia Elsbeth Stallings
A. E. W. Mason – Alfred Edward Woodley Mason
A. Flowerdew – Alice Flowerdew
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. K. M. Adam – Andrew Keith Malcolm Adam
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. M. Jenkins – Amanda McRaney Jenkins
A. M. W. Stirling – Anna Marie Wilhelmina Stirling
A. N. Wilson – Andrew Norman Wilson
A. O. Scott – Anthony Oliver Scott
A. R. L. – Anne Richelieu Lamb
A. R. Morlan – Arlette Renee Morlan
A. S. Byatt – Antonia Susan Byatt
A. S. J. Tessimond – Arthur Seymour John Tessimond
A. S. King – Amy Sarig King
A. S. Neill – Alexander Sutherland Neill
A. V. Christie – Ann Victoria Christie
A. W. Kinglake – Alexander William Kinglake
Abbie C. B. Robinson – Abbie Colburn Ballou Robinson
Ada L. F. Snell – Ada Laura Fonda Snell
Addie C. S. Engle – Addie Clarissa Strong Engle
Alice B. S. Turner – Alice Bellvadore Sams Turner
Alice D. G. Miller – Alice Dorothea Georgianna Miller
Annie M. G. Schmidt – Annie Maria Geertruida Schmidt
Arthur C. Clarke – Arthur Charles Clarke

B[edit]

B. Beaumont – Betty Beaumont
B. A. Stearns – Betsey Ann Stearns
B. F. Skinner – Burrhus Frederic Skinner
B. M. Bower – Bertha Muzzy Sinclair
B. M. Wilson – Bertha May Wilson
B. S. Johnson – Bryan Stanley Johnson

C[edit]

CAConrad
C. A. Lejeune – Caroline Alice Lejeune
C. H. B. Kitchin – Clifford Henry Benn Kitchin
C. H. Stranahan – Clara Harrison Stranahan
C. J. Cherryh – Carolyn Janice Cherry
C. J. Sansom – Christopher John Sansom
C. L. R. James – Cyril Lionel Robert James
C. L. Moore – Catherine Lucille Moore
C. M. Ridding – Caroline Mary Ridding
C. M. Sawyer – Caroline Mehitable Sawyer
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.C. Hunter – pseudonym of Christie Craig
C. V. Wedgwood – Cicely Veronica Wedgwood
Catharine H. T. Avery – Catharine Hitchcock Tilden Avery
Celeste M. A. Winslow – Celeste Mary Augusta Winslow
Corelli C. W. Simpson – Corelli Caswell Williams Simpson
Cornelia J. M. Jordan – Cornelia Jane Matthews Jordan

D[edit]

DBC Pierre – Dirty But Clean Pierre
D. A. McGuire – Diane Andrews McGuire
D. A. Powell - Douglas A. Powell
D. C. Moore – David Moore
D. E. Stevenson – Dorothy Emily Stevenson
D. G. K. Goldberg – Diane Gail Kelly Goldberg
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[edit]

E. Annie Proulx – Edna Annie Proulx
E. B. C. – Essie Blythe Cheesborough
E. B. C. Jones – Emily Beatrix Coursolles Jones
E. B. White – Elwyn Brooks White
E. C. R. Lorac – Edith Caroline Rivett Lorac (pseudonym)
E. D. Baker – Elizabeth Dawson Baker
E. D. E. N. Southworth – Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth
E. E. Brown – Emma Elizabeth Brown
E. E. Cowper – Edith Elise Cowper
E. E. Cummings – Edward Estlin Cummings
E. E. Smith – Edward Elmer Smith
E. F. Benson – Edward Frederic Benson
E. G. A. – Emily Gillmore Alden
E. H. Carr – Edward Hallett Carr
E. H. Young – Emily Hilda Young
E. J. Eames – Elizabeth Jessup Eames
E.J. Miller Laino – Eleanor Jane Miller Laino
E. J. Richmond – Euphemia Johnson Richmond
E. J. Scovell – Edith Joy Scovell
E. L. Benedict – Emma Lee Benedict
E. L. Dorsey – Ella Loraine Dorsey
E. L. Doctorow – Edgar Lawrence Doctorow
E. L. James – pseudonym of Erika Leonard
E. L. Konigsburg – Elaine Lobl Konigsburg
E. L. S. – Emily Lee Sherwood Ragan
E. Lockhart – pseudonym of Emily Jenkins
E. M. Broner – Esther Masserman Broner
E. M. Delafield – Edmée Elizabeth Monica Dashwood (pseudonym)
E. M. Forster – Edward Morgan Forster
E. M. Granger Bennett – Ethel Mary Granger Bennett
E. M. Hull – Edith Maud Hull
E. Nesbit – Edith Nesbit
E. R. Braithwaite – Edward Ricardo Braithwaite
E. S. L. Thompson – Elizabeth Shepherd Lamb Thompson
E. S. Drower – Ethel Stefana Drower
E. S. Elliott – Elizabeth Steele Elliott
E. T. A. Hoffmann – Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann
E. V. Baxter – Evelyn Vida Baxter
E. V. Sheridan – Emma Viola Sheridan
E. Vale Blake – Euphemia Vale Blake
E. W. Swanton – Ernest William Swanton
Edward P. Jones – Edward Paul Jones
Ella M. S. Marble – Ella Marie Smith Marble
Elizabeth A. R. Brown – Elizabeth Atkinson Rash Brown
Emma F. R. Campbell – Emma Frances Riggs Campbell
Estelle M. H. Merrill – Estelle Minerva Hatch Merrill
Ernest J. Gaines – Ernest James Gaines

F[edit]

F. Burge Griswold – Frances Burge Griswold
F. C. Burnand – Francis Cowley Burnand
F. E. Fryatt – Frances Elizabeth Fryatt
F. E. Mills Young – Florence Ethel Mills Young
F. O. Matthiessen – Francis Otto Matthiessen
F. R. Leavis – Frank Raymond Leavis
F. Scott Fitzgerald – Francis Scott Fitzgerald

G[edit]

G. B. Edwards – Gerald Basil Edwards
G. B. Shaw – George Bernard Shaw
G. D. H. Cole – George Douglas Howard Cole
G. E. Trevelyan – Gertrude Eileen Trevelyan
G. K. Chesterton – Gilbert Keith Chesterton
G. M. Trevelyan – George Macaulay Trevelyan
George R. R. Martin – George Raymond Richard Martin

H[edit]

H. A. Rey – Hans Augusto Rey
H. A. R. Gibb – Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen Gibb
H. B. Goodwin – Hannah Bradbury Goodwin
H. C. Cradock – Mrs. Henry Cowper Cradock
H.D. – Hilda Doolittle
H. D. Everett – Henrietta Dorothy Everett
H. E. Bates – Herbert Ernest Bates
H. E. G. Arey – Harriett Ellen Grannis Arey
H. E. P. – Harriet Eudora Pritchard
H. G. Wells – Herbert George Wells
H. H. Munro – Hector Hugh Munro (pen name: Saki)
H. J. Massingham – Harold John Massingham
H. L. Gold – Horace Leonard Gold
H. L. Mencken – Henry Louis Mencken
H. M. G. – Hannah Maria George
H. M. Hoover – Helen Mary Hoover
H. M. M. – Helen (M.) Merrill Egerton
H. M. Tomlinson – Henry Major Tomlinson
H. N. K. Goff – Harriet Newell Kneeland Goff
H. P. Lovecraft – Howard Phillips Lovecraft
H. R. F. Keating – Henry Reymond Fitzwalter Keating
H. S. – Henrietta Skelton
Hunter S. Thompson – Hunter Stockton Thompson
H. T. C. – Helen Taggart Clark

I[edit]

I. A. Richards – Ivor Armstrong Richards
I. A. R. Wylie – Ida Alexa Ross Wylie
Iain M. Banks – Iain Menzies Banks
I. F. Stone – Isidor Feinstein Stone
I. M. E. Blandin – Isabella Margaret Elizabeth Blandin
I. McC. Wilson – Ibbie McColm Wilson

J[edit]

J. Meade Falkner – John Meade Falkner
J. A. Jance – Judith Ann Jance
J. A. Lawrence – Judith Ann Lawrence
J. B. Priestley – John Boynton Priestley
J. C. Bateham – Josephine Cushman Bateham
J. D. Beresford – John Davys Beresford
J. D. Robb – Nora Roberts
J. D. Salinger – Jerome David Salinger
J. E. Franklin – Jennie Elizabeth Franklin
J. E. McConaughy – Julia Eliza McConaughy
Jerome K. Jerome – Jerome Klapka Jerome
J. F. O'Donnell – Jessie Fremont O'Donnell
J. F. Powers – James Farl Powers
J. G. Ballard – James Graham Ballard
J. G. Farrell – James Gordon Farrell
J. H. Prynne – Jeremy Halvard Prynne
J. H. Plumb – John Harold Plumb
J. I. M. Stewart – John Innes Mackintosh Stewart
J. K. Rowling – Joanne Rowling (The K honors her grandmother Kathleen, but is not part of her legal name.)
J. L. Carr – Joseph Lloyd Carr
J. M. Barrie – James Matthew Barrie
J. M. Coetzee – John Maxwell Coetzee
J. M. Synge – John Millington Synge
J. M. Winton – Jeneverah Maria Winton
John D. MacDonald – John Dann MacDonald
J. P. Dabney – Julia Parker Dabney
J. P. Donleavy – James Patrick Donleavy
J. R. Ackerley – Joe Randolph Ackerley
J. R. R. Tolkien – John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
J. T. – Jeanette Threlfall
James A. Michener – James Albert Michener
James M. Cain – James Mallahan Cain
James T. Farrell – James Thomas Farrell
Jane T. H. Cross – Jane Tandy Hardin Cross
Janice Y. K. Lee – Janice Yoon-kyung Lee
Jennifer S. H. Brown – Jennifer Stacey Harcourt Brown
Julia C. R. Dorr – Julia Caroline Ripley Dorr