Aliases of the Master

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Like the Doctor, the renegade Time Lord known as the Master used many aliases. However, while the Doctor used false names on a fairly ad hoc basis to avoid awkward questions, the Master usually adopted them in order to further whatever scheme he was currently embarked upon.

Alias When used Story Etymology
Colonel Masters to infiltrate Rex Farrel's plastics company Terror of the Autons
Emil Keller assumed identity of the creator of the Keller Machine The Mind of Evil Emil is derived from the Latin word aemulus, meaning rival, and Keller is derived from Old English cwellere, meaning executioner
Martin Jurgens while posing as an Adjudicator Colony in Space

Anagram of Master Gunnjir (gunnjir is the spear of Odin, head of the Norse pantheon)

Reverend Magister to insinuate himself socially into the Devil's End community The Dæmons Latin for master
Professor Thascalos to gain access to facilities of the Newton Institute The Time Monster Greek for master, pointed out by Jo Grant
Frey whilst in Sweden, 141 The Spear of Destiny Old Norse for master
Inspector LeMaitre to infiltrate a village fete by pretending to be a police inspector from Scotland Yard Last of the Gaderene French for the master
Duke Dominus to impersonate a 1930s Chicago gangster The Duke of Dominoes Dominus from the Latin for lord or master of the house
Estro while posing as an adviser to Lord Haldoran in an effort to procure a Dalek matter transmuter Legacy of the Daleks Esperanto for master
Mwalimu while hiding beneath Colonel Spindleton's manor house in 1979 Trail of the White Worm Swahili for master in the sense of teacher
Interplanetary Police Inspector Efendi while on Secus The Evil One Turkish for "Master"
The Portreeve to trap the Fifth Doctor in Castrovalva Castrovalva
Kalid used to take control of the Xeraphin gestalt Time-Flight As Kalid, he affected the identity of a vaguely Arabian sorcerer. Kalid derives from the Indian Kalidasa meaning servant of Kali, an Indian goddess of time and change and usually depicted as being dark and violent.
Sir Gilles Estram to avert the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. The King's Demons Estram is a simple anagram.
The Sheriff to gain access to the regenerative fountain near Eternity, California. A Town Called Eternity
Gospodar to access the TITAN Array in order to destroy the Chronovores The Quantum Archangel Serbo-Croatian and Slovenian for master
Major Kreer used when allied with the Tzun in 1950s America. First Frontier
Template:Frontier Housewarming
Mr Seta Used aboard the starship Gallery Dust Breeding Anagram of master
Dr John Smith Used while amnesiac on an unnamed colony world Master
Bruce occasionally reverted to impersonation of a San Franciscan paramedic named Bruce after he had taken over Bruce's body Doctor Who
Don Maestro Whilst trapped on Earth in the 20th century. Mastermind Italian for master in the sense of teacher
Dr Harcourt De'ath to practice eye surgery on many patients, in order to literally "have eyes everywhere" Time's Horizon, Eyes of the Master Bar the apostrophe, De'ath is spellt the same way as "Death."
The Doctor Whilst masquerading as a future incarnation of the Doctor. Dominion
Professor Yana chameleon arch identity Utopia Had no known meaning of its own, but the Face of Boe made up an acronym, "You Are Not Alone"
Harold Saxon used to win Prime Ministership of the United Kingdom Love & Monsters and several other stories Mister Saxon was a coincidental anagram of Master No Six; Harold is a derivative of Old English Hereweald meaning Master of the Armies. The Anglo-Saxons were invading England during the reign of King Arthur.

Behind the scenes

  • During Anthony Ainley's tenure as the Master, pseudonyms made from anagrams of "Tony Ainley" were often used in the credits — both on-screen and in Radio Times — for the Master's disguises, such as Neil Toynay for the Portreeve in Castrovalva.
  • Another, craftier pseudonym was used in Radio Times for The King's Demons, when Sir Gilles was listed as being played by "James Stoker" — an anagram of "Master's Joke".