The upcoming Star Trek: Strange New Worlds prepares to take audiences where no Star Trek has gone before -- into the relatively unexplored era of the Christopher Pike-captained Enterprise before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series. As Spock plays a major role among Pike's crew, with Ethan Peck reprising his Star Trek: Discovery role, promotional material debuting at Star Trek: Mission Chicago 2022 has revealed Spock's canonical first name. And this moniker is one that eagle-eyed Star Trek fans may have seen before, with its inclusion in Strange New Worlds solidifying its place in continuity.

The idea of Spock having a first name was revealed in the TOS Season 1 episode "This Side of Paradise," with Spock striking up a romance with his old acquaintance Leila Kalomi while his mind was controlled by alien spores. As the two lived in relative bliss among the spores, Spock teased Leila for being unable to pronounce his first name... without disclosing what the name in question actually was. Spock elaborated on this further in the TOS Season 2 episode "Journey to Babel," observing to Captain Kirk that his full Vulcan name was considerable unpronounceable by humans.

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Spock and Sarek from The Undiscovered Country

It was until nearly two decades later, in the 1985 novel Ishmael by Barbara Hambly, that Spock's full name was revealed as S'chn T'gai Spock, with Spock's father's full name S'chn T'gai Sarek. These names were listed in personnel records for Spock when Kirk accessed records for his first officer to learn more about his full lineage. However, Star Trek novels have a more nebulous place in the official canonicity of the franchise, with Spock's name considered apocryphal by the fans, even after its full reappearance in the 2014 novel Seasons of Light and Darkness by Michael A. Martin.

Star Trek has a history of making names introduced in its apocryphal material canon before, including the names of major TOS characters. The 1981 novel The Entropy Effect by Vonda McIntyre introduced Sulu's first name as Hikaru, which was reportedly approved by both franchise creator Gene Roddenberry and Sulu actor George Takei. The name itself was officially canonized a full decade later in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Uhura's first name Nyota was introduced by William Rotsler in the 1982 tie-in book Star Trek II Biographies, with Rotsler receiving approval from Roddenberry and Uhura actor Nichelle Nichols. The first name was used sporadically in non-canonical novels until being canonized in the 2009 Star Trek reboot.

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Lieutenant Nyota Uhura In Star Trek Beyond

With Spock jumping back into the spotlight in Strange New Worlds, a previously unconfirmed detail about the character has been embraced into continuity. This canonization comes along with the revelation of TOS medical officer Doctor M'Benga's first name similarly being revealed after the character was simply referred to by his last name in the episodes "A Private Little War" and "That Which Survives." M'Benga's last name was also revealed in promotional material at Star Trek: Mission Chicago 2022 as Jabilo, adding another new dimension to Star Trek's established history.

For over 55 years, Spock's full name was something of a running mystery, with a possible moniker given but having a tricky placement within continuity. Strange New Worlds not only canonizes S'chn T'gai Spock as the beloved Vulcan's full name, but proves that the new series is delving into the obscure, apocryphal corners of the franchise and bringing them to light. Strange New Worlds was always going to be a Star Trek series that honored the franchise's history while exploring its unseen past and, by canonizing Spock's name, it adds new elements to the venerable science fiction universe.

Created by Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premieres May 5 on Paramount+.