C.S. Lewis’s first name was Clive, making his full name Clive Staples Lewis.
He was born in Belfast, Ireland, on 29 November 1898. His middle name was Staples, a family name connected with his mother’s side of the family. Lewis generally published under his initials rather than using his first name in his author identity.
As a child, Lewis was known by the nickname “Jacks,” later written as “Jack.” The nickname became so closely associated with him that many friends and colleagues used it throughout his adult life. “Clive” is therefore often overlooked when readers encounter the better-known name C.S. Lewis.
Lewis’s initials appear on works ranging from The Chronicles of Narnia to Mere Christianity. They identify the same writer whose scholarly career also included important studies of medieval and Renaissance literature.