← Back to catalogue
Research draft

pseudonym

vr.tr.pseudonym · INF.MED

Let an agent explain pseudonyms and their kinds and reasons, describe their legal treatment in general terms, support identifying works and people behind pseudonyms with sources, and respect privacy.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain pseudonyms and their kinds and reasons, describe their legal treatment in general terms, support identifying works and people behind pseudonyms with sources, and respect privacy.

A fictitious name adopted by a person or group in place of their real name, including pen names, stage names, collective pseudonyms shared by several authors, house names owned by publishers, multiple-use names open to anyone, heteronyms with distinct personas, religious and initiatory names such as mottos taken in some orders, and online handles; pseudonyms are used for privacy, branding, safety and artistic reasons and are treated variously in copyright, contract and identity law.

What it is for: Fictitious names used in place of real ones.

It can be explain kinds and reasons; describe legal treatment; support identification with sources; respect privacy.

Distinguishing features

Adopted name

Purpose-driven

Legal recognition varies

Privacy dimension

What it looks like

Not physical; names in bylines, credits and profiles.

How it is recognised

Name adopted in place of a real name

Pen names, stage names, handles

A nickname is given by others; a legal name change is official

Related models

is a kind of - category

sobriquet

is related to - real names replaced

family name

is related to - artists using pseudonyms

composer

is related to - professionals using stage names

model

In practice

Families and kinds

pen names and stage names

collective and house names

multiple-use names

heteronyms

religious, initiatory and online names

Standards and regulation

Copyright rules on pseudonymous works

Contract and identity law on use of pseudonyms

Platform policies on names

Failure modes and hazards

Unmasking pseudonymous people against their wishes

Fraud using false names

Confusing pseudonyms with legal names in records

Also called

Muslim namecollective pseudonymhouse namemultiple-use nameheteronymMagical mottoapoconymstage nameAxis Sallyring namePokémon categoryOpunimregnal nameorder nameresistance namehonoronympen nameporn namereligious namenom de guerreet al.bardic nameart namederby nameXue Miliaristonymfictitious namesongwriting aliashero namerecording aliaspseudo-authorBugōshikonaImperial namepseudoandronympseudogynymtakhallusDijinasecret initiatory nameHoly name

+3

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Source repository Registry entry point

Also registered as vr.tr.pseudonym

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What pseudonyms are.

Definitions.

Kinds

Kinds of pseudonym.

Kinds

Kinds.

  1. What are pen names, stage names, collective pseudonyms, house names, multiple-use names and heteronyms? definition
  2. Which entry fits a specific pseudonym? action

Reasons

Why people use them.

Reasons

Reasons.

  1. Why do people adopt pseudonyms, from privacy and safety to branding and artistic identity? provenance
  2. Is respecting the person privacy required here? boundary
Law Legal treatment.

Law.

Copyright

Copyright and contracts.

Copyright

Copyright.

  1. How are pseudonymous works treated in copyright law, and how do contracts handle pseudonyms? provenance
  2. Is legal advice needed from a professional? boundary

Identity

Identity and platforms.

Identity

Identity.

  1. When may pseudonyms be used legally, and what do platform real-name policies require? provenance
  2. Which entry fits identity law? action
Records Pseudonyms in records.

Practice.

Catalogue

Cataloguing.

Catalogue

Cataloguing.

  1. How do libraries and databases record pseudonyms and link them to real names when public? provenance
  2. Which entry fits authority control? action

Research

Researching attributions.

Research

Research.

  1. How are works attributed to people behind pseudonyms, and when should attribution be withheld? boundary
  2. Which references are standard? provenance
Learn History and culture.

Context.

History

History.

History

History.

  1. How have pseudonyms been used historically, including by women writers and in religious orders? provenance
  2. Which entry fits a specific tradition? action

Teach

Teaching.

Teach

Teaching.

  1. How can pseudonymity be taught in media literacy? action
  2. Which misconceptions arise? provenance

What the second pass must settle

  • Should each kind be a separate entry?
  • How should copyright rules be linked?
  • How should privacy protections be documented?
Draft as JSON