the USS ???????

[RobertScorpio]

We all know that it was the USS ENTERPRISE. We also know that, just like Kirk, that wasn't going to be the name of the eventual ship that TOS was centered around. I think I've read it would be called Lexington, and other names. DO YOU think they got it right? I mean, it is so burned into our brains.."These are the voyages of the Starship...Enterprise"...but would it have been as cool as "These are the voyages of the starship...Lexington? Or 'these are the Voyages of the starship Normandy? Defiant? Constitution? Constellation?"

So...in other words...was Enterprise the eventual best choice, or do you think one of the other names would have worked better??

Rob

 

[Sovay]

I think Enterprise was the best choice. Lexington, Farragut, Normandy are just place names. Defiant sounds a bit aggressive, constitution sounds a little boring and constellation is a bit too predictably space themed.

I mean, quotes like this...

"What is a Man, but that... lofty spirit... that sense of, Enterprise! That devotion to something that cannot be Sensed... cannot be... Realized, but only... DREAMED! The HIGHEST Reality!"

It sort of summed up what the whole series was about

 

[WendellM]

We all know that it was the USS ENTERPRISE. ... the starship...Lexington? Or 'these are the Voyages of the starship Normandy? Defiant? Constitution? Constellation?"

So...in other words...was Enterprise the eventual best choice, or do you think one of the other names would have worked better??

Damn good question... I guess I could have bought Constellation or maybe Constitution. Anything more nation-centric would probably have been a problem for me (e.g. Normandy, Lexington). Looking at the lists on pages 164-165 of The Making of Star Trek...

Excluding Enterprise, I guess I'd go for Excalibur, or maybe Endeavor. It not the "E"-thing; it's that they're abstract. Tying it to an Earth-historical event seems limiting.

 

[RobertScorpio]

I was thinking about ESCALIBUR too..good choice!!

Rob

 

[Gotham Central]

In the early stages of development wasn't the ship called the Independence?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

AFAIK, the original name was Yorktown.

 

[WendellM]

In the early stages of development wasn't the ship called the Independence?

Yes:

 

[Jeri]

The Enterprise is a storied name of storied ships. I thought that's why it was chosen. Some of the Enterprises were absolutely charmed, it seemed.

 

[dru]

"Anything more nation-centric would probably have been a problem for me (e.g. Normandy, Lexington). Excluding Enterprise, I guess I'd go for Excalibur, or maybe Endeavor."

Excalibur, sword of Britain's legendary King Arthur, is not nation-centric like Normandy or Lexington?

 

[Cakes488]

I'm sure if the ship were called Independence or take your pick....than that name would seem most natural or "the best". I'm still glad they went with Enterprise though.

 

[sbk1234]

It could have been problematic if they chose Titanic, I suppose.

 

[Jeri]

It could have been problematic if they chose Titanic, I suppose.

Indeed; that has a bit too much of an icebergian flavor.

 

[marylizz]

I suppose any other name would have seemed natural, had it been chosen.
But "Enterprise" has such a nice ring to it, with all the right connotations while retaining the necessary vagueness. A fantastic name.

 

[MANT!]

Enterprise is a name that in the US Navy has been considered lucky..and isn't Ameri-centric..as the Royal Navy had 15 HMS Enterprises, the US Navy had only 6 USS Enterprises to date..

In reality, none of the other names mentioned as candidates come close..

 

[RobertScorpio]

It could have been problematic if they chose Titanic, I suppose.

LOL...

they should have called Decker's ship the Titanic..

Rob

 

[EEE]

I always like "Intrepid" (...a most un-Vulcan-like name if you think about it.)

 

[Patrickivan]

^ These are the voyages of the Starship Intrepid...

Sounds a little too eager- to me. Despite Enterprise sounding like a venture...

hmmm.... U.S.S. Venture

 

[Sovay]

I always like "Intrepid" (...a most un-Vulcan-like name if you think about it.)

It is an un-vulcan name, I wonder if the vulcans got to choose it? It's a pretty awesome name too though

 

[Jeri]

"Intrepid" sounds good to me for a people whose big failing is "curiosity."