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During his travels in time and space, the Doctor has employed many different aliases; sometimes only briefly and sometimes on an ongoing basis. Owning to his refusal to tell all but a few people his real name, he has often had aliases assigned to him by others.
The mystery of the Doctor's real name
Ubiquity of the title
"The Doctor" was not, in fact, a name, but a title. His given name has never been revealed, and as such the very title "the Doctor" was an alias. It was implied that his given name was ceremoniously withdrawn and stricken by his Cousins, as punishment for a disgrace he visited upon his House.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, his companion Peri Brown once said she'd been told she couldn't pronounce it. (BBCR: Slipback) Even when he was twice put on trial by his own people, the Time Lords, he was only ever referred to during these events as "the Doctor" (DW: The War Games), although The Valeyard acknowledged that it was an alias. (DW: Trial of a Time Lord)
Individuals who knew (or might know) his true name
The Master and the Doctor had known each other since their Prydon Academy days, and by one account even earlier (BFA: Master), but it has not been revealed whether or not he knew the Doctor's true name, although he's well aware that it's false. (DW: The Sound of Drums) Drax, however, who also knew the Doctor at the Academy, referred to him by his alternative name of "Thete", short for, or Theta Sigma. (DW: The Armageddon Factor) Madame de Pompadour recognized it as an alias when she was briefly connected to the Doctor's mind (DW: The Girl in the Fireplace),.
- Whether or not Madame de Pompadour learned his name this way remains undisclosed.
River Song, who the Doctor would know in the future, revealed to him that she knew his true 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)
- She whispered the Doctor's name for a duration of roughly two seconds. One could interpret this to mean that the Doctor has a short name, consisting of only a few syllables.
At least one other person, the Doctor's companion Samantha Jones, was also told his real name (EDA: Unnatural History, EDA: Vanderdeken's Children).
Attempts to discover his true name
The Carrionite Lilith, unable to discover his true name even with the "witchcraft" used by her kind, remarked, "There is no name. Why would a man hide his title in such despair?" (DW: The Shakespeare Code) The psychically-gifted Evelina, who attempted to foretell the Doctor's future, remarked that his "true name" was in fact "hidden". (DW: The Fires of Pompeii)
Significance of the title
The Doctor, did, however, imply that he does actually have a doctorate (DW: The Armageddon Factor and The Trial of a Time Lord: The Mysterious Planet) On other occasions he has described himself as a "Doctor of many things", or indeed "everything" (DW: Utopia).
List of aliases
Major names and aliases
Theta Sigma
Theta Sigma (ΘΣ), informally "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) The name might also have been a codename used by some aspects of Time Lord government to refer to the Doctor. (The Adventures of K-9 series) Note - in the Greek alphabet Sigma (Σ) slightly resembles the letter W turned on its side, and the Greek letter Theta (Θ) slightly resembles the letter H inside the letter O. This might imply that his name really is WHO.
The Doctor
The Doctor chose his name himself, one also used by other Time Lords. (DW:The Sound of Drums) On at least one occasion, a Human knew this name without the Doctor even saying it out loud. (NA: Cat's Cradle: Warhead) His other aliases have usually had the alias "Doctor". He implied to Peri that his given name also began with such a title (DW: The Trial of a Time Lord: The Mysterious Planet). Drax, a fellow Time Lord, indicated that the Doctor did indeed possess a doctorate (although in what is not indicated) (DW: The Armageddon Factor). During his first incarnation, he adopted this name for the benefit of Human colonists on the planet Iwa at the same that his grand-daughter Susan adopted the name "Susan". (TN: Frayed)
John Smith
John Smith was the alias the Doctor generally used on Earth and around Humans when a name was often required. It was usually preceded by the title "Doctor", though 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) 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) As "John Smith" is considered a very generic name in some Earth cultures, the Doctor's use of the alias is occasionally treated with skepticism by others (DW: Midnight).
At one point in his life, the Doctor temporarily changed himself into a human who used the name John Smith. There are conflicting reports as to whether this occurred in his seventh incarnation (NA: Human Nature), or in his tenth (DW: Human Nature/The Family of Blood).
Uses of this alias
Second Doctor
- Given to him by Jamie and used aboard Space Station W3. (DW: The Wheel in Space)
Third Doctor
- During his exile on Earth with UNIT, during which time he served as its scientific advisor (DW: Spearhead from Space, The Time Warrior)
Sixth Doctor
Seventh Doctor
- 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)
Ninth Doctor
- Shows Rose Tyler the psychic paper, she subsequently reads out "Dr. John Smith", suggesting that the Doctor intended to use this as an alias to investigate a pod that they had followed to Earth, 1941. However, he never actually uses this alias and manages to go the entire story without ever giving this (or any name). Rose did, however, tell Captain Jack that the Doctor's name was Mr. Spock. (DW: The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances)
Tenth Doctor
- While under cover as a science teacher at Deffry Vale High School. (DW: School Reunion)
- While posing as a patient at Royal Hope Hospital. (DW: Smith and Jones)
- Impersonating a health and safety officer while investigating Adipose Industries (DW:Partners in Crime)
- Aboard the Crusader 50 bus on the planet Midnight, he eventually offered this as his name when the humans trapped aboard the bus with him demand he give it. Unlike other occurances where the name was accepted, this time the humans recognized it as false and rejected it. (DW: Midnight)
- When "reintroducing" himself to Donna Noble. (DW: Journey's End)
- When encountering Jackson Lake, a mentally unwell man believing himself to be the Doctor. Once Lake's true identity had been established, the Doctor dropped the alias. (DW: The Next Doctor)
The Supremo
For a year, the Doctor used this alias as leader of the Alliance against the army of the evil renegade Time Lord Morbius. (PDA: Warmonger)
- For an unrelated use of the term, see the Supremo.
Merlin and Muldwych
This was, the Doctor believed, an alias used by a future and/or alternative Doctor residing in a magic-using parallel Earth. (DW: Battlefield) This was apparently, a future incarnation of the Doctor who, at times, also used the name Muldwych. (NA: Happy Endings)
- Another account, however, says that another renegade Time Lord used the alias of Merlin. (ST: One Fateful Knight) See Merlin and Muldwych.
Minor aliases
First Doctor
Maximus Pettulian
While visiting the Roman Empire prior to the burning of Rome, the Doctor briefly impersonates a murdered lyre player named Maximus Pettulian until his true identity is uncovered. (DW: The Romans)
Zeus
When the Greek warrior Achilles mistook the Doctor for Zeus posing as an old man, he went along with it, until the already unconvinced Agamemnon, spoiled the Doctor's ruse. (DW: The Myth Makers)
Doctor Caligari
Name used by the Doctor when he arrived in Tombstone, impersonating a magician. (DW: The Gunfighters)
Second Doctor
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 [of] Who translated into German. He also signed a note Doctor W around this time. (DW: The Highlanders)
Third Doctor
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. (DW: The Dæmons)
- "Qui", "quae" and "quod" were the masculine, feminine and neutral forms of "who" in Latin.
Sixth Doctor
Doktor of Tardis
Pseudonym used by the Doctor to move discreetly around an alternate version of the city of Rome. (MA: State of Change)
Seventh Doctor
?
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) The Doctor also appears to sign a document in a similar fashion prior to the Sontaran invasion of Gallifrey. (DW: The Invasion of Time)
Tenth Doctor
Doctor James McCrimmon
The Doctor took the name James McCrimmon while visiting Scotland in 1879; this was the name of one of his old companions. (DW: Tooth and Claw)
Doctor Vile
The Doctor briefly masqueraded as the space pirate Doctor Vile in order to stop a war. (DW: The Infinite Quest)
Spartacus
While in Pompeii The Doctor is asked his name, and after a few seconds replies with "I am...Spartacus."
Doctor McCoy
After a discussion with Donna Noble, in which she compared the sonic screwdriver with Star Trek's tricorder, the Doctor adopted the alias Dr. McCoy (after Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, a Star Trek character) when dealing with a group of soldiers. (Donna called herself Captain Kirk, after James T. Kirk, the lead character of the Star Trek series.) The ruse fell apart when Donna was unable to maintain the pretence of being a captain. (NSA: Pest Control)
The Time Lord Victorious
After realising that he was not in fact just a survivor of the Time War but was in fact the winner and that subsequently all of time was his to command, the Doctor refered to himself as The Time Lord Victorious. (DW: The Waters of Mars)
Sir Doctor of TARDIS
Name used by the Doctor when he met Shakespeare. Shakespear however could see through the psychic paper that claimed he was Sir Doctor of TARDIS. (DW:The Shakespeare Code)
Names given to the Doctor by others
Major
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 was based on the Doctor. (DW: The Face of Evil)
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, DWN: Remembrance of the Daleks (novelisation)). The name was again used by Davros upon his near destruction. (DW: Journey's End)
Dalek Caan also referred to him as "the Dark Lord" or "the Threefold Man" (DW: The Stolen Earth/Journey's End).
Time's Champion
Time's Champion was a title given to the Doctor to symbolise his service to Time during his seventh incarnation.
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, (Karshtakavaar in Draconian) who were generally his allies, to indicate the traumatic events which so often accompanied his arrival. (NA: Love and War)
The Sandman
The Sixth Doctor's actions in the past of the Galyari led to his entering their race memory as a legendary monster called the Sandman. (BFA: The Sandman)
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. (NSA: Peacemaker)
Fireplace Man
This was the name given to The Doctor by Madame de Pompadour , this name was given to him because he entered her home through the fireplace . She belived that to be his name up until she was 23 . (DW:The Girl in the Fireplace)
Minor
Doctor Who
The name "Doctor Who" has been applied to the Doctor, intentionally or unintentionally, on many occasions. The computer WOTAN referred to the Doctor as Doctor Who, for reasons which have never been explained. (DW: The War Machines) Clive Finch also used this name when referring to the Doctor on his website Who is Doctor Who? (DW: Rose).) K-9 was heard on occasion making playful remarks related to the Who name (K-9 and Company: A Girl's Best Friend, SJA: Invasion of the Bane). It is unclear whether the Doctor himself ever actually used the name, although his third incarnation drove an automobile with the licence number "WHO 1" (DW: Doctor Who and the Silurians, et al) and not long before his regeneration was seen driving a futuristic vehicle that possibly apocryphal sources suggest may have been called the Whomobile (DW: Invasion of the Dinosaurs). The Doctor wrote a series of children's books during his time with UNIT which were mistakenly published under this name (BFA: The Kingmaker).
It has often been unintentionally used when characters wish to learn who the Doctor is and what his name is: "Doctor? Doctor who?"
Doctor Galloway
Edward Waterfield made up this name for the Doctor when arranging to meet him (DW: The Evil of the Daleks).
The Watcher
The Watcher was the name given to an incarnation of the Doctor partway between his fourth and fifth incarnations, before they realised his true identity. (DW: Logopolis)
- See The Watcher
Doctor Bowman
Dr. Grace Holloway invents this name for the the Doctor whilst introducing him to others. (DW:Doctor Who: The TV Movie) In this incarnation Doctor later occasionally used the name James Alistair Bowman. (EDA: Seeing I)
Sir Doctor of Tardis
Title bestowed upon the Doctor by Queen Victoria just before she banished him. (DW: Tooth and Claw)
The Doctor later uses this title himself in DW: The Shakespeare Code
Doctor Noble
Introducing themselves as "the Doctor" and "Donna Noble", Solana Mercurio (in her standard, patronizing way) misunderstood and refers to them as "Dr. and Mrs. Noble." This provokes an immediate response that they are not married, and "never, ever" will be. (DW: Planet of the Ood)
The DoctorDonna
After saying the phrase "Doctor, Donna, friends" so many times as defense against a group of rabid Ood, the Ood collective adopted this name for the two of them. Ood Sigma promised that generations of Ood children would grow up on the Ood Sphere, singing the songs of "the DoctorDonna." (DW: Planet of the Ood)
- This was foreshadowing of Donna Noble becoming the half-human/half-Time Lord being known as DoctorDonna. (DW: Journey's End)
Joking aliases and nicknames
Snail or Wormhole
Given to him by his cousins of the House of Lungbarrow, because, unlike Loomed Gallifreyans, he had a bellybutton. (NA: Lungbarrow)
Professor
Ace often called the Doctor Professor. She continued to use the term, even after he'd asked her not to do it any more . (DW: Dragonfire)
Doc
On rare occasions individuals such as Peri Brown have referred to the Doctor as "Doc", usually earning a rebuke from the Doctor (DW: The Twin Dilemma, Dreamland, et al).
Mr. Conditional Clause
Given to him by Luke Rattigan while angered by The Doctor's tautology of the Atmospheric Omission System's name as he called it ATMOS System, The Doctor replied harshly to this saying "No one's said no to you in a long time, have they?"
Mr. Spock
Rose Tyler, annoyed with the Doctor not telling her his name, proceeds to introduce him to Captain Jack as Mr. Spock, after the character from Star Trek. Jack, not aware of the reference, proceeds to address the Doctor as Mr. Spock until he is corrected. (DW: The Empty Child)
Dumbo
Donna Noble frequently called the Doctor Dumbo, when she was angry. (DW: The Runaway Bride, et al)
Space man
Donna Noble often called the Doctor Space man. (DW: The Runaway Bride, et al)
Spartacus
During a visit to Pompeii, the Doctor used this name, saying "I am... Spartacus." Donna followed him up by saying, in a parody to the 1960 film, "And so am I." (DW: The Fires of Pompeii) This continued the minor misunderstanding that the Doctor and Donna were in fact a couple, which was quickly denied.
Tom Cruise; Tom Hanks; Michael Caine; Pee-Wee Herman; Harold Knowles
The Doctor used a series of aliases based on popular film actors while visiting 1920s Hollywood. (IDW: Silver Scream)
Pretty Boy
Given to him by River Song, in Silence in the Library. It amazed him that he was being called by the moniker, both the fact that it was him, and the adjective in said moniker. ["I'm 'Pretty Boy'?" "Pretty?"]
Gandalf
In Last of the Time Lords, The Master refers to the aged version of the Doctor as "Gandalf" from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.