William Thomas Riker of Star Trek: The Next Generation is the Enterprise's first officer and resident bearded heartthrob. Growing up in Alaska, he was quite the outdoorsman, but he chose to leave the majestic wilderness from his youth to "boldly go where no one has gone before." Riker was known as "Number One," informally with Picard. Depending when in the timeline or on which Federation starship he was aboard, he's sometimes just "Captain." To his friends, he goes by "Will," his preferred name, as stated in the Season 6 episode "Chain of Command, Part 1." However, Riker wasn't always called "Will" in the series. In fact, part of the original plan for the "most charming man in Starfleet" was to address him as "Bill."

According to the reference book Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, Riker's preproduction biography stated he was "privately called William by Picard and Bill by 'female friends.'" In particular, his fellow Starfleet officer (and future wife), Deanna Troi, addressed him as such in two memorable Season 1 episodes. For instance, in "The Naked Now," a virus-stricken Troi fondly referred to Riker as "Bill" when she entered Engineering. Additionally, during "Haven," she called him that twice, the first time in the Ready Room, then again on the Holodeck while they discussed their feelings for each other.

Updated by September 22, 2023 by Joshua M. Patton: Will Riker is one of the most beloved Star Trek: TNG characters, as evidenced by his recent turn in Star Trek: Picard Season 3. He is a loyal friend and a great Starfleet officer. This was the goal when Gene Roddenberry created the cast of The Next Generation ahead of its debut in 1987. Like with The Original Series, the Great Bird of the Galaxy, as he was known, evolved the characters as he went along. The familiar form of Commander Riker's name was one of those things, and "Bill" became "Will."

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Riker's Name Underwent Multiple Changes Early In TNG

Interestingly, The Next Generation Companion also mentions that, in the script for the pilot episode, "Encounter at Farpoint," Captain Jean-Luc Picard opts to use the nickname "Bill" rather than refer to Riker as "William" or "Will." Nevertheless, that wasn't the only detail about Riker from the early stages of production that changed before the series aired. In the original casting call for the character, his last name was spelled "Ryker" with a "Y," rather than with an "I." Surprisingly, the preferred spelling of his nickname, "Will," is not completely clear throughout scripts or in closed captioning. In its written form, his name actually switches between "Will," with two L's, and "Wil" with one, respectively.

It seems as if Riker being called "Bill" has piqued the interest of avid Trekkies ever since the byname was uttered a handful of times in Star Trek: TNG Season 1. Although the events of the Pocket Books novel Star Trek The Next Generation: Double Helix are not canon, it's worth revisiting a conversation between Data and Riker in which the android asks, "Why does Counselor Troi call you 'Bill' when the rest of your fellow officers call you 'Will'?" Riker then explains that "I used to go by Bill at the Academy -- but then I dated a woman named Bili Beller, so we mutually decided I’d use Will." Unfortunately, "Bill" didn't manage to have the same staying power as "Will" in both the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series and novels, so this rarely used moniker was quickly phased out after appearing only three times in Season 1.

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Will Riker's Name Wasn't the Number One Problem

The first seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation were tumultuous. Everything from the Season 1 DVD Special Features to documentaries like The Center Seaton: 55 Years of Trek detail the problems, particularly with the writing staff. Series creator Gene Roddenberry was technically the showrunner, but he relied on writers like David Gerrold or Dorothy "D.C." Fontana he'd worked with during Star Trek: The Original Series. There were also other writers he didn't know so well, like Maurice Hurley, the inventor of the Borg.

The show relied on freelance screenwriters and those who made it to staff didn't stay long. This strife led to inconsistent storytelling in those early seasons. Swapping out "Will" for "Bill" isn't the only continuity or universe mistake made in TNG Season 1. But Star Trek is a universe that endures.

In a documentray directed by Star Trek's other "Bill," William Shatner, called Chaos on the Bridge, Hurley spoke about how strict he was with Roddenberry's rules for storytelling despite calling his vision of humanity's future "wacky doodle." However, Riker remains a steadfast example of the kind of hero Roddenberry wanted to create, whether his name is Bill, Will or just Number One. He was passionate, about his ideals and his many paramours, but his duty to Starfleet always took precedence.

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With so much turnover and turmoil among executive producers, the Star Trek: TNG characters were left in the custory of their actors. It's why Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas spoke to every returning TNG actor before writing that series' big reunion. Despite the early struggles, the strength of Jonathan Frakes's performance as Riker defined him more than any name the other characters called him.

Every television series takes its time to find its voice and for writers and actors to get comfortable with the characters.However, as both a reboot of a beloved TV classic and the only first-run scripted series in syndication, the growing pains were even more intense than usual. The Next Generation went through two ship doctors in its first two seasons, in part because producers couldn't decide what kind of character they wanted. Even Frakes had to audition seven times to get his coveted role. Picard's Number One is Riker's coolest name, but Will certainly works better for everyone else than Bill.