Perhaps the most famous starship number in Sci-Fi, did Gene Roddenberry choose this number at random, or, as with all good art is it a part of a repeating (if hidden) motif?
Replace letters with numbers from 1(A) to 26(Z)
(or to save time just type them into Gematrinator
http://www.gematrinator.com/calculator/index.php)
If we add the numbers up "James T Kirk" = 117
Oddly enough, "Jean Luc Picard" also sums to 117
Its unlikely but fair to argue that this is just chance - but perhaps consider the name was devised to carry over the same numeric relationship.
Both captains ship registrations are 1701 as every fan of the show knows - its on screen often enough - OK not the exact same number as 117 but composed of the same, also the 0 is not used in the name calculations since we always begin at 1 so it may be fair to disregard 0.
Again is this random chance, just seeing patterns like a numerical pareidolia, or, is there something special (at least to the creator of the show) about this number combination?
This may extend outside of Trek, several, perhaps as many as 3 people reading this will be bouncing up and down in their seats just dying to point out that 117 is also the number of Halo's Master Chief, John-117, arguably the most famous scifi videogame character of the modern era - perhaps a hidden nod toward Kirk and the Enterprise? Are there any others?
Maybe it is coincidence (at the very least its interesting trivia for trekkies) but the practice of encoding words into numbers is apparently a real thing & I think it is something Gene Roddenberry knew about - an ancient tradition called
Gematria https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gematria
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Coincidence...?
(It absolutely is a coincidence, but a fun one)
NC also came from the tail of Jeffries privately owned plane. Roddenberry had nothing to do with the number selection
Current Projects:
Ambassador Class
Captain: When do I get a DC fix, Jerry?
Navigator Jerry: Half a minute skipper.
(Navigator does his navigator things.)
At 2:22-2:24
Navigator: Ship on course sir. We'll reach DC point at (wait for it) 1701. That's less than three minutes now.
And as in my view Forbidden Planet is the progenitor to our beloved Star Trek, The Original Series...
Oh, well. It's just a coincidence (or is it?)
Count23, thankyou great comment, I don't doubt you but I'd LOVE a citation for that, as a follow-up; do you think there is ever anything behind creative choices beyond aesthetic considerations? What is NC?
dlfurman, excellent work, interesting stuff!
So, I'd forgotten about this thread (apologies for not replying, again) but watching an episode of 'Frasier' noticed his apartment number (which is shown in almost every episode several times as guests enter and leave the main set) is, wait for it, 1901 - OK not exactly 1701 but very similar - and the apartment in many ways is to Frasier as the Enterprise is to Picard. Should also note that Paramount produced both shows in the 90's.
Maybe this apartment number doesn't mean anything but running the name 'Frasier Crane' through the same process as the captains, his name sums to - guess what?
If you want to *really* have fun with this theory, consider Numerology...
1701 = 171 (1+7+1=9)
James T Kirk = 117 (1+1+7=9)
Jean Luc Picard = (as above)
Significance/meaning of #9 in Numerology?
"The person's destiny tends to be related to service to mankind, with tolerance, compassion, and understanding — wishing for mankind all that is fine, true, and generous." Which fits with the "utopian ideal" vision ofRoddenberry I guess