Can I use a fake name on Google Plus?

[Snarf]

Can users sign up on YouTube (and therefore Google Plus) with a fake name? Do I have to use my real name, or do I have nothing to worry about?

[Rokktim]

You can Create multiple accounts in gmail and use it anywhere(wherever google provides services with that account)
But the main thing is how you "Manage" those accounts.
And even you need to give your phone no. and all sorts of things only then you are provided a verification code and only then you are permitted to GOOGLE.
Make sure you handle these DIFFICULTIES with Care.

[Ya-hoo]

You can, in theory, use a "fake" name, but it has to "sound like" (or "look like") it could be someone's real name. Fake only means it's not really yours. Google probably has a bunch of name lists programmed into its algorithm to weed out common words and gibberish. "John Doe" probably wouldn't fly either, but who knows, try it out.

You can consult a names book or website (Wikipedia and its sister site Wiktionary have LOTS of names lists), or to make it easier, go to the site fakenamegenerator.com and just copy/paste the info from the screen. If they do ask you to verify with a phone number, just get a throwaway burner at Staples for $20 or so and use that. All they do is send an automated text message with a verification code.

This whole "real names" business is BS if you ask me because of how easily it can be "fooled." IMHO it has nothing to do with "verification" and everything to do with increasing enrollment numbers to show off to Facebook. Which makes no sense either, because even Facebook has company usernames -- and fake ones (people even give their pets Facebook pages, which is equally ridiculous), while Google flags G+ accounts with names that don't match the "people" pattern. I guess the lesson learned is don't name your kid Fido or Yahoo unless you want to get booted from G+.