Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why did Daniel Foe begin using the name Daniel Defoe?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe, engraving by M. Van der Gucht, after a portrait by J. Taverner, first half of the 18th century.
Daniel Defoe, born Daniel Foe, began using the name "Defoe" when he reached his middle 30s. It is believed that he adopted this name to revive a variant of what may have been his original family name.12