Tardis

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Tardis
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Tardis

Like the Doctor, the renegade Time Lord known as the Master used many aliases. However, while the Doctor used false names on a fairly ad hoc basis to avoid awkward questions, the Master usually adopted them in order to further whatever scheme they were embarked upon at the time.

"The Master" was itself an alias. He chose this name, as the First Doctor did his, while attending the Academy. (TV: The Sound of Drums; AUDIO: The Destination Wars)

"Renegade" incarnation

Alias When used Story Etymology
The Inventor when posing as a hero on the planet Destination The Destination Wars

"UNIT enemy" incarnation

Alias When used Story Etymology
Koschei An old name the Master used while at Time Lord Academy, he resumed using it again sometime after he left Gallifrey Divided Loyalties
The Dark Path
In Russian folklore, Koschei hides his soul in an obscure location under many layers of protection so that he can never die.
Professor Carl Thascalos to give Jamie McCrimmon the Necronomicon, and to gain access to facilities of the Newton Institute The Nameless City
The Time Monster
Greek for master, pointed out by Jo Grant
Colonel Masters to infiltrate Rex Farrel's plastics company Terror of the Autons His typical alias with an s on the end
Emil Keller assumed identity of the creator of the Keller Machine The Mind of Evil Emil is derived from the Latin word aemulus, meaning rival, and Keller is derived from Old English cwellere, meaning executioner
Martin Jurgens Martin Jurgens is the Adjudicator whose credentials the Master stole. Colony in Space

A coincidental anagram of Master Gunnjir (gunnjir is the spear of Odin, head of the Norse pantheon)
"Martin Jurgen" in the novelisation

Victor Magister to insinuate himself socially into the Devil's End community as a vicar, and later the name used when being charged for his crimes The Dæmons
Who Killed Kennedy
Latin for master
Conran The Man in the Ion Mask
Prisoner M Harvest of Time The first letter of his typical alias
Jack Harris to use a stolen Ford Cortina to reach his TARDIS The Eight Doctors Name of car's original owner whom the Master had killed
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart to trick Sergeant Benton, and later the Third Doctor and Jo Grant The Time Monster
The Heralds of Destruction
Frey whilst in Sweden, 141 The Spear of Destiny Old Norse for master
General Mayhew The Heralds of Destruction
Inspector LeMaitre to infiltrate a village fete by pretending to be a police inspector from Scotland Yard Last of the Gaderene French for the master
Dook Domini In the 1930s The Duke of Dominoes Named after The Duke of Dominoes, a trump card in an old Wallarian game of chance which beat all other suits.
Senator Szef The Seismologist's Story Polish for boss, chief
McMaster Doctor Who Fights Masterplan "Q"
Geoffrey Thynne to infiltrate Kenstone Hall The Touch of the Nurazh
Aloysius Fischer to infiltrate a UNIT Christmas party UNIT Christmas Parties: Christmas Truce Dr. Aloysius Fischer was the person the Master assumed the identity of, though he assures the Doctor that Fischer is still alive. Aloysius is originally derived from the German name Chlodovech, meaning famous in war.
The Raffolite Ambassador The Same Face
Duke Dominus to impersonate a 1930s Chicago gangster The Duke of Dominoes Dominus from the Latin for lord or master of the house
Rupert Masters Claiming to represent the "Masters Corporation" Night Flight to Nowhere
The Doctor Anything You Can Do
The Commissioner of Sirius IV Frontier in Space
Estro while posing as an adviser to Lord Haldoran in an effort to procure a Dalek matter transmuter Legacy of the Daleks Esperanto for master
Professor Dominar Doorway to Hell Spanish for dominate

Degenerated body

Alias When used Story Etymology
Dr. Damien Scott Whilst working for the Dominus Institute in the body of a future incarnation. Vampire of the Mind In French Damien means to subdue or tame, symbolizing the Master's position in the Dominus Institute.
General Malgrove Whilst leading a faction of the Gorlan Empire. The Two Masters The Gorlan word for master
Van Houten In the 1890s Maurice Named after chocolates common in the time period.
Mr. Dominus When visiting the Red Tavern in the 1890s Masterpiece Dominus from the Latin for lord or master of the house
Mwalimu while hiding beneath Colonel Spindleton's manor house in 1979 Trail of the White Worm Swahili for master in the sense of teacher
Interplanetary Police Inspector Efendi while on Secus The Evil One Turkish for "Master"

"Tremas" incarnation

Alias When used Story Etymology
Tremas to deceive Nyssa on Logopolis after taking over her father's body Logopolis A coincidental anagram of "Master"
The Portreeve to trap the Fifth Doctor in Castrovalva Castrovalva
Kalid used to take control of the Xeraphin gestalt Time-Flight Kalid derives from the Indian Kalidasa meaning servant of Kali, an Indian goddess of time and change and usually depicted as being dark and violent
Sir Gilles Estram to avert the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. The King's Demons Estram is a simple anagram, coincidentally the name of a knight whom he impersonates.
Mr. Tase The Velvet Dark An anagram of Master
Merlin The Creation of Camelot
The Sheriff to gain access to the regenerative fountain near Eternity, California. A Town Called Eternity
Professor Masterman The Time Savers
Branko Gospodar to access the TITAN Array in order to destroy the Chronovores The Quantum Archangel Serbo-Croatian and Slovenian for master
Keith Potter Assumed identity of possessed body as part of a plan to dominate the dimensional nexus. The End of the Line
Alan Campbell Prisoners of Time
Dr. Howard Chithros Stop the Pigeon
Dominus Crossing the Rubicon
Major Kreer used when allied with the Tzun in 1950s America. First Frontier Continued to use alias after his regeneration

"Tzun" incarnation

Alias When used Story Etymology
Count Marius Castillo Housewarming

"John Smith" incarnation

Alias When used Story Etymology
Mr. Seta Used aboard the starship Gallery Dust Breeding Anagram of master
Dr. John Smith Used while amnesiac on an unnamed colony world Master

While body-jumping

Alias When used Story Etymology
Bruce Occasionally reverted to impersonation of a San Franciscan paramedic named Bruce after he had taken over Bruce's body Doctor Who
Daniel While hiding his true identity from River Song The Lifeboat and the Deathboat
Brian Used when talking to Kitty on Kesta Masterful
Richard Possessed human Forgotten
Don Maestro Whilst trapped on Earth in the 20th century. Mastermind Italian for master in the sense of teacher
Alien Artefact Alpha 1 While being kept in the Vault. Mastermind
The Protector While on the planet Parrak Planet of Dust
Jeremy Whilst under the care of Kitty Masterful

"Bald" incarnation

Alias When used Story Etymology
Dr. Harcourt De'ath To practice eye surgery on many patients, in order to literally "have eyes everywhere" Time's Horizon, Eyes of the Master Bar the apostrophe, De'ath is spelt the same way as "Death".
Kappa Chi Designation as CIA agent. The Death of Hope
Master-Builder When creating the Dalek Time Controller's new empire. The Monster of Montmartre
The Doctor Whilst masquerading as a future incarnation of the Doctor. Dominion
Michael Masterson While living in Hexford in the body of a past incarnation. And You Will Obey Me

"War" incarnation

Alias When used Story Etymology
Mr Orman While helping the mining process of Callous The Glittering Prize
Cyber-Master Whilst masquerading as a Cyberman, superior to the Cyber-Controller. Master of Worlds
TS Mereath In 19th century US. The Coney Island Chameleon Anagram of "The Master"
Crazlus Masquerading as Crazlus to Narvin
Sorvad While pretending to be the late Davros' uncle on Skaro. The Master's Dalek Plan Davros spelled backwards. The Master claims this is a "family tradition".
The Doctor Whilst masquerading as the Doctor on Gardezza. Beneath the Viscoid
Dr. Keller Whilst on Arcking. The Good Master Reusing alias from The Mind of Evil
Professor Yana Chameleon arch identity Utopia Had no known meaning of its own, but the Face of Boe made up an acronym, "You Are Not Alone".

"Harold Saxon" incarnation

Alias When used Story Etymology
Harold Saxon used to become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Sound of Drums Mister Saxon was a coincidental anagram of Master No Six; Harold is a derivative of Old English Hereweald meaning Master of the Armies
Mr. Razor used while on board a Mondasian colony ship This World Enough and Time The Old English word for knife is seax, which is what the name Saxon originated from. His name, then, is ostensibly "Mr. Saxon" - the name given the first time the Saxon incarnation is mentioned in The Christmas Invasion.
Alpha 7 designation for the Mondasian Cybermen created on a colony ship for Operation Exodus Alit in Underland

"Missy" incarnation

Alias When used Story Etymology
Mrs. Braithwaite After marrying Bobo Braithwaite Dismemberment
Missy New name adopted shortly after regenerating into female form Deep Breath, Dark Water Short for "Mistress", feminine form of "Master".
Mobile Intelligence Systems Interface Ruse allowing close contact with and delaying recognition by the Doctor Dark Water Backcronym from "Missy"
Miss Magister When posing as a teacher Yes, Missy Latin for master
Beatrice Foxcroft When meeting with the Monk, who was disguised as Henry VIII Divorced, Beheaded, Regenerated Beatrice means "bringer of joy or blessings", as one would expect a queen to
Doctor Who When practicing being good aboard a Mondasian colony ship World Enough and Time

"Spy" incarnation

Alias When used Story Etymology
O Assumed identity of an MI6 member who he had shrunk with the Tissue Compression Eliminator. Spyfall While posing as "O", the Master claimed he was named as such as a joke; whenever "O" met with C, C would exclaim "Oh, God!" After revealing himself, however, he explained that he chose the name for satisfaction, anticipating correctly that the Thirteenth Doctor would exclaim "Oh..." as he dropped the act.
Officer O Alias used while allied with the Third Reich. Spyfall
Crack Noor's Code

Behind the scenes

Footnotes

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