The Surprising Original Nickname for Star Trek's Dr. McCoy

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Before he was the cantankerous, indispensable 'Bones' of the USS Enterprise, Dr. Leonard McCoy almost had a nickname that sounded more like a grocery list item than a medical professional. Whereas fans have spent decades associating the doctor with his grit and surgical precision, the early creative stages of Star Trek: The Original Series nearly took a much stranger turn with a nickname that rhymed with 'dumb': Plum.

Why it matters

The transition from 'Plum' to 'Bones' represents a pivotal shift in character identity. While 'Plum' lacked a clear connection to McCoy's profession or personality, 'Bones' was a calculated choice by creator Gene Roddenberry that anchored the character in historical medical slang, giving him a grounded, old-school sensibility that contrasted perfectly with the futuristic setting of the 23rd century.

The details

The nickname 'Bones' is a streamlined version of 'sawbones,' a 19th-century colloquialism for surgical doctors. By using this linguistic shorthand, Roddenberry transformed McCoy's professional relationship with Captain James T. Kirk into a brotherly bond, signaling a level of intimacy and trust that defined the 'command troika' alongside Spock. The nickname didn't just describe his job, it humanized the physician, framing him as the emotional heart of the ship.

• Dr. Leonard McCoy was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2227.
• McCoy spent a combined twenty-seven years as chief medical officer aboard the USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-A.