A.P. Chekhov used pseudonyms throughout his literary work. Moreover, these were completely different “middle names”. And if you look at the index where Chekhov's pseudonyms are listed, you will find at least 50 of them.
And although the writer liked to use fictitious names, he nevertheless entered into fiction under his present - A.P. Chekhov. The pseudonym Antosha Chekhonte ranks first in the entire list. It was used during the student days of the writer. This signature was used both in newspapers and magazines, and on the covers of copyright collections. "Tales of Melpomene" and "Colorful Stories" - these were his first editions, published from 1884 to 1886. And this pseudonym arose in the Taganrog gymnasium. A certain Pokrovsky taught there, who constantly changed the names of his students. Of course, this fate befell the young Anton. Subsequently, he used several spellings of Antos Chekhonte: Anche, Don Antonio Chekhonte, An-N-te, Chekhonte, Antos-Ch ***, A. Chechonte, C. Honte and so on.
At the end of the XIX century, the writer was published in humorous magazines in which the works of his older brother Alexander were published before him. And so that there was no confusion, he first used the specified initials: An. P. Chekhov. And then my brother’s signature appeared. It must be said that many of Chekhov's pseudonyms were short-lived. When he collaborated with the journal Dragonfly, he signed "The Doctor Without Patients."
Thus he hinted at his medical degree. And when he was engaged in agriculture in Melikhov, he used the pseudonym Cincinnatus. In letters to his wife, he signed as academician Toto or husband A. Aktrysyn. In the first case, he hinted at being elected to the Russian Academy, and in the second, that the spouse did not leave the scene after marriage.
At a certain time, Chekhov's humorous pseudonyms appeared: Arkhip Indeykin, Someone, Famous, Vasily Spiridonovich Svolachev, Akaki Tarantulov, Shileer Shakespearevich Goethe and so on. Most likely, everything depended on the occupation that Chekhov was engaged in at that time. Aliases disappeared as quickly as they appeared. But there is one among them that lasted for 10 years.
A man without a spleen - it was under this signature that a lot of feuilleton and humoresque came out, 5 articles and 119 stories. This pseudonym arose even at Moscow University, where the writer studied at the Faculty of Medicine. S.P. Botkin proved that the size of the spleen depends on the mental state of a person. Fright, joy, surprise, fear - all this leads to a decrease in this body. And if a person does not have a spleen, it means that he is deprived of all emotional unrest and his creations are distinguished by a healthy outlook on the whole world. Of course, there were several derivatives of this fictitious name. Ch.B.S., Ch. Without s, S.B.CH - these pseudonyms of Chekhov appeared in many magazines of that time.
A.P. Chekhov in his letter to Bilibin wrote that he gives his real name to medicine, which he is not going to part with to the grave. And he considers literature a game where different nicknames should be used, and with which he will sooner or later part. But today, not everyone knows that he was a physician. Today everyone knows the famous and wonderful writer A.P. Chekhov.