Circular 32: Pseudonyms

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A pseudonym is a fictitious name that an individual
author may use to identify him or herself to the public. A
pseudonym may be used on the copies of a work or when
registering a claim to copyright with the U.S. Copyright
Office. Nicknames and abbreviated forms of legal names are
not considered pseudonyms. For example, the British writer
Joanne Rowling uses an abbreviated name and a pseudonym.
She writes under “J.K. Rowling,” which is an abbreviated
name, and “Robert Galbraith,” which is a pseudonym.
NOTE: A pseudonym itself is not protected by copyright.
Copyright protection is not available for names or short
phrases.
When an author places a pseudonym on the copies or
phonorecords of a work protected by copyright instead of
using the author’s real name, the work may be considered a
pseudonymous work under copyright law, but only when the
author’s real name does not appear anywhere on the work. If
the author’s full name appears on the work or appears in the
copyright notice, the work is not a pseudonymous work, even
if a pseudonym also appears on the work or is included in the
registration application. Whether a work is a pseudonymous
work may have implications for protection under copyright
law, in particular by extending or reducing the term of
copyright.
Copyright Duration
For works created on or after January 1, 1978, the copyright
in a pseudonymous work expires 95 years from the year of
publication or 120 years from the year of creation, whichever
is shorter.
If the legal name of the author is identified in the records
of the Copyright Office, then the term of copyright will be
the life of the author plus seventy years.
This circular provides information
about copyright law and pseudonyms.
It covers
• 	Definition of a pseudonymous work
• 	Duration of copyright protection
• 	Registering a pseudonymous work
For specific information, see
chapter 600, section 615.2, of the
Compendium of U.S. Copyright
Office Practices.1
Pseudonyms

Pseudonyms	2
Copyright Registration
You may register a pseudonymous work with the U.S. Copyright Office. For general information,
see Copyright Registration (Circular 2). The Copyright Office encourages applicants to provide the
author’s real name in the application for registration, even if the author’s name does not appear on
the copies or phonorecords of the work. Providing the author’s real name creates a clear record of
authorship and ownership of the copyright and may affect the term of copyright.
NOTE: Registration records are open to the public. Do not disclose the author’s real name or address
in an application for a pseudonymous work if the author does not wish to make that information
public. The Office will not remove the author’s name from the registration record once a certificate
of registration has been issued.
Mistakes in applications lead to delays in registration, so it is important to complete the
application accurately. Here are some tips for registering a pseudonymous work.
Name of Author
• 	If you are registering a pseudonymous work, you are not required to provide the author’s full
name in the application.
» If you do not wish to reveal the author’s real name, you may check the box marked
Pseudonymous and complete the Pseudonym field.
» If you wish to reveal the author’s real name, you may provide the author’s full name in
the Individual Author field in addition to checking the box marked Pseudonymous and
completing the Pseudonym field.
» 	Only check the Pseudonymous box if the pseudonym, not the author’s real name, appears
on the copies or phonorecords, including the copyright notice.
» Do not check the Work Made for Hire box. A work made for hire cannot be registered
as a pseudonymous work. For more information, see chapter 600, section 614.1(E) of the
Compendium.
» Do not check the anonymous box. A pseudonymous work is not anonymous.
• 	If you are not registering a pseudonymous work but wish to provide your pseudonym, provide
the author’s full name in the Individual Author field and complete the Pseudonym field.
» Do not check the pseudonymous box.
• 	A pseudonym must be a name. The Copyright Office will not accept a number or symbol as a
pseudonym.
• 	The name of a performing group is not a pseudonym.
Year of Creation or Publication
Double check the accuracy of the years of creation and publication, if applicable. These dates may
be used to calculate the term of copyright if you do not include the author’s legal name in the
application.

Pseudonyms	3
Using the Pseudonym Elsewhere in the Application
If the author does not wish to provide his or her real name anywhere in the application, you may
use the pseudonym in the following areas, where appropriate: Name of Claimant, Rights and
Permissions, Correspondent, and Certification.
Supplementary Registration
Supplementary registration is a special type of registration that may be used to add the author’s
real name to the registration record when the applicant originally provided a pseudonym. For more
information, see Supplementary Registration (Circular 8).
NOTE
1. This circular is intended as an overview of copyright and pseudonyms. The authoritative source
for U.S. copyright law is the Copyright Act, codified in Title 17 of the United States Code. Copyright
regulations are codified in Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Copyright Office practices and
procedures are summarized in the third edition of the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices,
cited as the Compendium. The copyright law, regulations, and the Compendium are available on the
Copyright Office website at www.copyright.gov.

1 	U. S. Copyright Office · Library of Congress · 101 Independence Avenue SE · Washington, DC 20559 · copyright.govCIRCULAR 32 REVISED: 03 /2021 	PRINT: 00 /0000 — 0,000
For Further Information
By Internet
The copyright law, the Compendium, electronic registration, application forms, regulations,
and related materials are available on the Copyright Office website at www.copyright.gov.
By Email
To send an email inquiry, click the Contact Us link on the Copyright Office website.
By Telephone
For general information, call the Copyright Public Information Office at (202) 707-3000 or
1-877-476-0778 (toll free). Staff members are on duty from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, eastern time,
Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. To request application forms or circulars by
postal mail, call (202) 707-9100 or 1-877-476-0778 and leave a recorded message.
By Regular Mail
Write to
Library of Congress
U.S. Copyright Office
Outreach and Education Section
101 Independence Avenue, SE #6304
Washington, DC 20559-6304