Star Trek’s USS Enterprise Originally Had A Different Name & I’m Glad Roddenberry Changed It

The USS Enterprise is synonymous with Star Trek, and I'm glad Gene Roddenberry changed the starship's original name when he created Star Trek: The Original Series. Roddenberry pitched Star Trek as a new science fiction adventure series to NBC in 1964 and went into production on Star Trek's pilot, "The Cage," in 1965. NBC rejected "The Cage" but greenlit a second pilot episode, which resulted in Star Trek becoming a TV series. From "The Cage" going forward, Star Trek's signature ship was known as the USS Enterprise.

Some Star Trek TV shows are named after their eponymous starships like the USS Voyager and the USS Discovery. However, Star Trek's best-known vessel will always be the Starship Enterprise, whether it's commanded by Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), or Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). The Enterprise's storied legacy might not have been so grandiose had Gene Roddenberry not revised his original name for Star Trek's starship.

USS Enterprise’s Original Name In Star Trek Was USS Yorktown

"These Are The Voyages Of The Starship Yorktown"?

In his original 1964 pitch document for Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry originally named his starship the USS Yorktown. A World War II veteran, Roddenberry chose Yorktown because of the American aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, which was named after the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. Coincidentally, the USS Yorktown was of the same class as the USS Enterprise, the name Roddenberry finally decided upon for Star Trek's primary starship.

"Enterprise" has proven to be a savvier choice for Star Trek's most famous starship than "Yorktown." "Enterprise" as a noun means an undertaking that is difficult or risky, which is a much better description for a starship that explores strange new worlds and goes where no man has gone before. "Yorktown" doesn't conjure the same sense of excitement or adventure as "Enterprise," and Gene Roddenberry was wise to make this crucial switch that helped underscore what Star Trek is all about.

USS Yorktown Later Appeared In Star Trek

Star Trek Beyond Introduced A Very Different Yorktown

USS Yorktown still became part of Star Trek after Gene Roddenberry decided on naming his starship the USS Enterprise. Three versions of the USS Yorktown have been mentioned in Star Trek. In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, the USS Yorktown's bridge was seen when it encountered the devastating whale probe. Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2's "The Measure of a Man" mentioned the USS Yorktown. Star Trek: Picard season 3 also had the USS Yorktown chasing the USS Titan-A.

Star Trek Beyond introduced Starbase Yorktown, a planetoid-sized space station encased in a protective bubble that was targeted for destruction by the villainous Krall (Idris Elba). With its multidimensional cityscapes, Starbase Yorktown was a wonder to behold. Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) applied to become Vice Admiral in charge of Yorktown, although he ultimately chose to remain Captain of the Enterprise. Star Trek: The Original Series simply wouldn't have had the same verve if it were about the voyages of the USS Yorktown.