[Update: In a statement provided to TrekMovie, Paramount representatives clarified that the names on these posters are a mistake, saying “At Star Trek: Mission Chicago, we inadvertently displayed posters with Spock and M’Benga’s names that were incorrect. Sometimes when you work at warp speed, mistakes are made. While Spock and M’Benga do indeed have first names, they have yet to be revealed.” The original story follows.]
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Mr. Spock has always been one of the biggest icons in Star Trek since it began – and we’ve never even known his full name! Spock has forever been “Spock” in Star Trek canon – until now. The new sequel/spinoff series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will bring back Star Trek: Discovery actor Ethan Peck as a younger Spock, and Star Trek fans have spotted an official full name for Spock on display at Star Trek: Mission Chicago, which will take place this weekend.
So what is Spock’s full name in Star Trek canon? Allow us to introduce: “S’Chn T’Gaiu Spock.”
The Star Trek: Strange New Worlds trailer dropped this week, along with a set of character posters for the ensemble of classic Star Trek characters that will appear in it – as well as the new ones we’ll meet. However, the posters released online do not have official character names on them, while the ones on display at Star Trek: Mission Chicago apparently do. So, Spock’s full name is clearly a big reveal Star Trek wanted to make, which has inevitably leaked early.
Not that Spock’s full name changes a whole lot about Star Trek as we know it – if anything, it’s a pretty clear indication of why the half-human, half-Vulcan wizkid chose to just go by “Spock” in his Starfleet career. In fact, Star Trek has previously made it a point of humor that Spock’s true name was generally considered to be unpronounceable by the human tongue. Well, “S’Chn T’Gaiu” certainly fits that bill.
While this is a milestone for Star Trek TV canon, Spock’s name has (as stated) been used in Star Trek before – like in the 1985 pocketbook novel, Ishmael. It’s been noted that “S’Chn T’Gaiu” is actually Spock’s family name, with Vulcan’s mirroring other Star Trek alien races (and certain Eastern cultures) by having the family name go before the individual’s name.
The modern Star Trek franchise continues to mine the classic books and other non-canon spinoffs for fun deep-cut Easter egg factoids like Spock’s name; Uhura (who also appears in Strange New Worlds) finally got her full name (“Nyota Uhura”) canonized in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek 2009 reboot – decades after it was first revealed in the Star Trek II Biographies tie-in book to Wrath of Khan.
Now say Spock’s full name five times fast – if you can.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds starts streaming on Paramount+ on May 5th.
