What popularized the baby name Nichelle in the late 1960s?

Gene Roddenberry’s science-fiction TV series Star Trek was set on a spaceship in the 23rd century. The show wasn’t very popular (when it originally aired during the second half of the 1960s), but it was very progressive.

Star Trek‘s diverse set of characters included Japanese-American helmsman Lt. Sulu, half-human, half-Vulcan first officer Mr. Spock, and Russian navigator Ensign Chekov.

Perhaps the most eye-catching character, though, was African-American female communications officer Lt. Uhura.

Uhura — who, like Sulu, wasn’t given a first name — was played by actress Nichelle Nichols. (The character’s surname was based on the title of the 1962 Robert Ruark book Uhuru, which Nichols happened to have with her the day she read for the part. The Swahili word uhuru means “freedom.”)

Thanks to the role, Nichols became “one of the first African American women to be featured in a non-menial role on television.”

In January of 1967, just five months after the show premiered, she was celebrated on the cover of Ebony magazine:

Nichelle Nichols’ newfound fame brought attention to her rare first name — which was nearly identical to the then-trendy name Michelle — and, as a result, the usage of Nichelle increased dramatically:

• 1969: 331 baby girls named Nichelle [rank: 540th]
• 1968: 395 baby girls named Nichelle [rank: 486th]
• 1967: 361 baby girls named Nichelle [rank: 500th]
• 1966: 33 baby girls named Nichelle
• 1965: 14 baby girls named Nichelle

The actress was born Grace Dell Nichols in Illinois in 1932.

At 13 or 14, tired of being called Gracie by her friends, she requested a different name from her mother, who liked Michelle but suggested Nichelle for the alliteration.

Star Trek ran for three seasons before being canceled due to low ratings. The final episode was broadcast in June of 1969.

After being put into syndication during the 1970s, however, the series became an unexpected hit. This success led to a handful of U.S. baby girls being named Uhura during the 1970s, and eventually to the franchise’s first movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, which was released in late 1979 (two and a half years after Star Wars).

What are your thoughts on the name Nichelle? How about Uhura?

Sources:

• Dagan, Carmel. “Nichelle Nichols, Uhura in ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 89.” Variety 31 Jul. 2022.
• Hattenstone, Simon. “Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols: ‘Martin Luther King was a Trekker’.” Guardian 18 Oct 2016.
• Weber, Bruce. “Nichelle Nichols, Lieutenant Uhura on ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 89.” New York Times 31 Jul. 2022.
• Wikipedia: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek, Uhura
• SSA

Images: Nichelle Nichols, NASA Recruiter (NASA); Clipping from the cover of Ebony magazine (Jan. 1967)

[Latest update: Jan. 2025]