3 best character nicknames in Star Trek history

When we talk about nicknames in media, you probably don't associate Star Trek with having some of the best nicknames. We think of "Cap" from Disney's MCU, or Fonzie from Happy Days. Yet, Star Trek has had its fair share of impressive nicknames. Sure, they're not as bountiful and impressive as others that exist (Radar from M*A*S*H*, Screech from Saved by the Bell, Red from That 70s Show), but they have had some dynamic ones.

While not the most pressing of topics we cover here, looking at things like this helps us realize just how impressive and deep the Star Trek mythos goes. Nicknames are part of everyday life and so many other shows and films have glamorized and cemented the nicknames of famous characters and we hope to highlight some of the best Trek has to offer.

That's why we're going to look at three of the most prominent nicknames in Star Trek history and how each character got that particular nickname.

"Bones" (Leonard McCoy)

Maybe the most famous Star Trek nickname belongs to that of Leonard McCoy, otherwise known as "Bones" McCoy. In the original series, James Kirk gives McCoy his nickname, taking it from the old slang for surgeons "Sawbones". In the Kelvin Timeline, Kirk doesn't directly give McCoy his nickname. Instead, McCoy himself brings it up the first time the two characters meet. There, McCoy tells Kirk that the only thing he has left after his divorce is his "bones".

"Trip" (Charles Tucker)

Unlike others on this list, Charles Tucker didn't get his nickname while in Starfleet. Instead, he received it while he was younger. Charles Tucker is actually Charles Tucker III, meaning both his father and grandfather have the same name. So they took to calling him "Trip", as he's the third person to bear the name, aka the triplet (or 'triple'). The nickname stuck through the academy and into his service aboard the NX-01 Enterprise.

"Mister Vulcan" (Tuvok)

Tuvok is the only person on this list to not have a second or third person (if not more) refer to him by his nickname. Unlike Trip or Bones, the only person who calls him "Mister Vulcan" is Neelix. Originally, the Telaxian believed Tuvok's name to be 'Vulcan', and he began calling him that. Even long past getting to know him better and knowing his real name. It went from an honest mistake to a term of endearment from Neelix to Tuvok, one that finally paid off during Neelix's last night on Voyager.