Aliases of the Doctor

The Doctor has employed several different aliases, sometimes only briefly. He has often had aliases assigned to him by others.

The Doctor has only ever used aliases publicly--his given name has never been revealed. It is implied that his given name was ceremoniously withdrawn and stricken by his cousins, as punishment for a disgrace he visited upon his House. (NA: Lungbarrow) When asked about the Doctor's name, companion Perpugilliam Brown once said she'd been told she couldn't pronounce it (Source?).

River Song reveals to the Doctor that she knows his real name by whispering it into his ear. He seemed particularly shocked at this, later saying to her "there is only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name, only one time I could" (DW:Forest of the Dead).

Names used by the Doctor

Major Names

The Doctor

The Doctor is the name most commonly used by the Time Lord himself. He chose it himself (DW:The Sound of Drums); and, interestingly, his fellow Time Lords also used it. It is not his real name, as, for example, Carrionite "witchcraft", using true names, did not work on him. (DW: The Shakespeare Code)

John Smith

John Smith is the alias the Doctor generally uses on Earth, when a name is often required. It is usually preceded by the title "Doctor", but not always - for example, when working undercover as a teacher at a school and as a patient in a hospital. (DW: School Reunion, Smith and Jones) It was originally given to him by Jamie during his second incarnation. (DW: The Wheel in Space) He adopted it on a semi-regular basis during his third incarnation while exiled on Earth when he served as scientific advisor to UNIT. (DW: Spearhead from Space)

Uses of this alias

• During his exile on Earth with UNIT. (DW: Spearhead from Space, The Time Warrior)
• A modification of this name, Johann Schmidt, was used by the Doctor while impersonating a Nazi Reichsinspektor. (NA: Timewyrm: Exodus)
• Given to him serendipitously by Chang Lee on his hospital admittance forms. (DW: Doctor Who: The TV Movie)
• Undercover as a science teacher at Deffry Vale High School. (DW: School Reunion)
• Undercover as a patient at Royal Hope Hospital. (DW: Smith and Jones)
• When the Doctor uses the Chameleon Arch to change into a human, he uses this name for his new personality (DW: Human Nature and The Family of Blood)
• Aboard the Crusader 50 bus on the planet Midnight, the Doctor eventually offers this as his name when the humans trapped aboard the bus with him demand he give it. (DW:Midnight)

Minor Names

Doctor von Wer

Doctor von Wer was an alias briefly adopted by the Doctor during his visit to Scotland in 1745. It is simply Doctor Who translated into German. He also signed a note Doctor W around this time. (DW: The Highlanders)

?

When the Doctor is asked to sign a document in during a visit to London in 1963, he does so by signing a question mark. (DW: Remembrance of the Daleks)

Doctor James McCrimmon

The Doctor took the name James McCrimmon while visiting Scotland in 1879. (DW: Tooth and Claw)

The alias James McCrimmon is a reference to the Doctor's old companion, Jamie McCrimmon.

Doctor Vile

The Doctor masqueraded as the pirate Doctor Vile in order to stop a war. (DW: The Infinite Quest)

Doctor McCoy

After a discussion with Donna Noble comparing the sonic screwdriver with Star Trek's tricorder, the Doctor proceeds to adopt the alias Dr. McCoy when dealing with a group of soldiers (Donna is dubbed Captain Kirk). The ruse expires when Donna is unable to maintain the pretence of being a captain. (TDA: Pest Control)

Names given to the Doctor

Snail and Wormhole

Given to him by his cousins because--unlike Loomed Gallifreyans--he had a bellybutton. (NA: Lungbarrow)

Doctor Foreman

Doctor Foreman was used by Ian Chesterton after his granduaghter had used the name Susan Foreman at Coal Hill School. (DW: An Unearthly Child) The Doctor never responded to this alias, and Ian never used it again.

Theta Sigma

Theta Sigma (informally, "Theet" or "Thete") was a nickname used by the Doctor during his years at the Time Lord Academy on the planet Gallifrey. (DW: The Armageddon Factor, The Happiness Patrol, DWM: Flashback)

Doctor Who

WOTAN referred to the Doctor as Doctor Who, for reasons which have never been explained. (It may have been mistaken--it also claimed the Doctor was human.) (DW: The War Machines) During the Trial of a Time Lord the Doctor's name was to be spoken, for the record, but he interrupted this after only the first syllable was spoken - which was "who."

Quiquaequod

Miss Hawthorne referred to the Doctor as "the great wizard Quiquaequod" while attempting to bluff the villagers of Devil's End into releasing him. "Qui", "quae" and "quod" are the masculine, feminine and neutral forms of "who" in Latin. (DW: The Daemons)

Merlin

During Silver Nemesis, an Arthurian sorceress is convinced the Seventh Doctor is the legendary wizard Merlin, which he does not deny.

The Evil One

The Sevateem tribe referred to the Doctor as The Evil One, due to the fact that the supercomputer they worshipped had a split personality, one of which being based on the Doctor (DW: The Face of Evil)

Lord President of the Supreme Council of Time Lords on Gallifrey

The Doctor gained the title of President when he finally took the office, though he later lost the title to Borusa. (DW: The Deadly Assassin). He regained the title after the events in Rassilon's Tomb on Gallifrey, though he immediately delegated the role to Chancellor Flavia (DW:The Five Doctors).

Professor

For reasons unknown, Ace called the Doctor Professor. She continued to use the term, even after he'd asked her not to. (DW: Dragonfire)

The Ka Faraq Gatri

The Daleks referred to the Doctor as the Ka Faraq Gatri, which may mean Bringer of Darkness and/or Destroyer of Worlds. By implication, the name Destroyer of Worlds refers to the Doctor's destruction of the Dalek home planet Skaro in his seventh incarnation, an act for which he would consequently feel some remorse. (DW:Remembrance of the Daleks, NA: Timewyrm: Revelation) However, as early as his second incarnation, the Doctor knew that the Daleks had given him this name, and the Daleks used it prior to the destruction of Skaro. (DWM: Bringer of Darkness, DW: Remembrance of the Daleks (novelisation))

Time's Champion

Time's Champion was a title given to the Doctor to symbolise his service to Time during his seventh incarnation. (Source?)

This title may also apply to future incarnations of the Doctor.

The Oncoming Storm

The Daleks also referred to the Doctor as the Oncoming Storm in the myths of their homeworld, as noted by his ninth incarnation, indicating that the Daleks feared him. (DW: The Parting of the Ways) This was also the name given to him by the Draconians, who were generally his allies, to indicate the traumatic events which so often accompanied his arrival. (NA: Love and War)

The Destroyer of Worlds

Davros commented to the Doctor upon his near destruction in Journey's End that he will now always be known as The Destroyer of Worlds to the Dalek race. (DW: Journey's End)

Mr. Spock

Captain Jack, thinking Rose and the Doctor are Time Agents, called him Mr. Spock after the character from Star Trek. (DW: The Empty Child)

Rides In Night

The Doctor was known to the Pawnee Nation by the name Rides In Night. He was also known as The Brother to Coyote. (TDA: Peacemaker)

Coyote is a Trickster god--most appropriate for the Doctor, who is an excellent example of a trickster hero.