Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Attribution ·30 of 348
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. — Oscar Wilde"
They never said that.
What people say
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. — Oscar Wilde"
What was actually said
"No verified Wilde source." Anonymous — Attributed — no citation in Wilde's works, letters, or contemporary recollections
Why it stuck
The earliest verifiable print appearance is 2004, in a Tuesdays with Morrie-adjacent self-help context. Wilde's own lines on authenticity (e.g., "Most people are other people") are stylistically different.
The Wilde Society's registrar tracks spurious attributions; this one is in their top ten.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.