1887 October 23, “Why Sign Only Demonyms? The Inquiry of a Man Who Says John P. St. John Has an Autohieroascetohagionym”, in Los Angeles Daily Herald, volume XXIX, number 21, Los Angeles, Calif., page 15, column 1:
The initials of a writer’s real name form an initialism, and a sarcastic signature is an ironym. ‘Patiently Awaiting’ signed to a complaint against the garbage-collectors is an ironym.
1908 — anonymous, "Bemuddled Science", The Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science and Art (December 26), page 20
Many would be stumped by being asked to define a Demonym or Ironym, to distinguish between a Hagionym and a Hieronym, or "What is a Pseudojyn?" We doubt if the last question is fair.
1909 — Ralph Thomas, "Bibliographical Technical Terms", Notes and Queries (March 6), page 7
This pseudonym or ironym was used for 'La Nuit anglaise,' a novel published in 1797, in ridicule of the romances of brigands, ruins and spectres.
1959 — William S. Powell, "A Swift Broadside from the Opposition", The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography (April), page 37
A later listing of printers by location, however, queries the name of "Fr. Maggot" as printer and lists it as "Doubtful, probably an Ironym."
