# Where did Franklin come up with poor Richard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 4, 2006, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-franklin-come-up-with-poor-richard/347039 "2006-03-04T11:09:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-franklin-come-up-with-poor-richard/347039/1 "2006-03-04T11:09:23Z")
I know he used the name as a pseudonym: > **[Poor Richard's Almanack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poor_richards_almanac)** > > Poor Richard's Almanack (sometimes Almanac) was a yearly almanac published by Benjamin Franklin, who adopted the pseudonym of "Poor Richard" or "Richard Saunders" for this purpose. The publication appeared continually from 1732 to 1758. It sold exceptionally well for a pamphlet published in the Thirteen Colonies; print runs reached 10,000 per year. > Franklin, the American inventor, statesman, and publisher, achieved success with Poor Richard's Almanack. Almanacks were very popular books in coloni... But why that name? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-franklin-come-up-with-poor-richard/347039/2 "2006-03-04T13:41:03Z")
It is a pun. The name “Richard” ultimately means “wealthy”. So, **Poor** Richard is like call a tall guy Shorty, or a skinny kid Porky. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-franklin-come-up-with-poor-richard/347039/3 "2006-03-04T13:43:08Z")
The full name of Franklin’s alter ego was [Richard Saunders](http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/loa/bf1733.htm). Why “Richard Saunders”? Dunno; why did Laurence Sterne pretend to be someone called “Tristram Shandy”? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-franklin-come-up-with-poor-richard/347039/4 "2006-03-04T14:59:02Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Why “Richard Saunders”? Dunno; why did Laurence Sterne pretend to be someone called “Tristram Shandy”? Dunno – but I’m seeing the movie tomorrow, I’ll let you know if they answer that question. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-franklin-come-up-with-poor-richard/347039/5 "2006-03-04T15:02:19Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > It is a pun. > > The name “Richard” ultimately means “wealthy”. So, **Poor** Richard is like call a tall guy Shorty, or a skinny kid Porky. It was also the latest in a long string of pseudonyms for Franklin that included Silence Dogood, Martha Careful, Celia Shortface, and Busy-Body. He used these names to conceal his own identity for several reasons, one of which was so he could pose a question for himself to answer. Franklin’s brother, James, had previously published _Poor Robin’s Almanac_. Also, Richard Saunders was the real name of an almanac writer in England in the 17th century. These notes taken from the book _Benjamin Franklin_, by Walter Isaacson. It’s quite possible that Richard Saunders was my ancestor on my mother’s side. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-franklin-come-up-with-poor-richard/347039/6 "2006-03-07T18:19:34Z")
Richard was also an extremely common first name at the time, IIRC, so it was the rough equivalent of “John Q. Public” or “Average Joe.”