Some people mistakenly equate the Simon Necronomicon with H. P. Lovecraft’s fictional Necronomicon because of overlapping names, mythological references, and surface-level aesthetic similarities. However, this association is both erroneous and superficial.

Lovecraft invented the name Necronomicon as part of his mythos—a fictional grimoire written by the “mad Arab” Abdul Alhazred. The Simon Necronomicon, published in 1977 by a man writing under the pseudonym “Simon,” intentionally adopted the same name to draw attention. The title was likely chosen to evoke an aura of forbidden knowledge and mystery. Many casual readers assumed it must be connected to Lovecraft’s mythology, despite the actual contents being different.

Lovecraft incorporated names like Cthulhu, Azathoth, and Yog-Sothoth—entirely fictional creations. In contrast, the Simon Necronomicon integrates names and cosmology drawn from Sumerian and Babylonian myth, including Tiamat, Marduk, Kutu (an obscure form possibly echoing Cthulhu), and others. Readers who are unfamiliar with ancient Mesopotamian religion wrongly assume that these are Lovecraftian names, when in fact they predate him by millennia.

Both books convey themes of cosmic horror, forbidden knowledge, alien gods, and madness. This stylistic overlap fuels the illusion of connection. However, while Lovecraft’s work is fictional horror literature, the Simon Necronomicon presents itself as a genuine ritual system—a modern grimoire drawing on older magical traditions.

The publishers of the Simon Necronomicon never clearly denied the link to Lovecraft at the time of its release. This ambiguity was likely a deliberate marketing tactic to capitalise on the growing popularity of Lovecraft’s writings in the 1970s. The lack of immediate clarification led readers to form their own assumptions.

The internet and mass media frequently mix fiction and occultism without nuance. Occult booksellers, forums, and movies often refer to the Necronomicon generically, blending Lovecraft’s fictional version with the Simon text. People not deeply familiar with either tend to conflate the two.