My earlier post included a list of all single-word episode titles. That list is long enough that it could be analyzed in isolation and still produce some interesting results. Firstly, here is a summary:

Series	TOS	TAS	TNG	DS9	VOY	ENT
Total	5	3	49	42	77	42
Percentage	6.33 %	13.64 %	29.17 %	24.71 %	48.13 %	44.68 %
Shortest	4	3	4	3	2	2
Longest	13	10	16	12	14	12
Average	7.6	7.33	7.96	8.1	7.81	7.79

Single-word titles by Series

It seems the number of single-word episode titles started low and increased over time, peaking with Voyager (although Enterprise was very close behind by percentage of total episodes).

The Original Series

The original Star Trek is the only series to have a season with no single-word titles at all (and it has two if you follow the convention that the original pilot, “The Cage” is part of its own “Season 0”).

Many titles from the original series were intentionally unusual, in the hope it would generate interest from people browsing TV listings (as explained more by Bruce Bennett). This generally led to longer titles and is part of the reason there are so few with just one word.

Season	0	1	2	3
Total	0	4	1	0
Percentage	0.00 %	12.50 %	3.70 %	0.00 %
Shortest	-	4	9	-
Longest	-	13	9	-
Average	-	7.25	9	-

See all

Title	Length	Episode
Miri	4 letters	1x11
Arena	5 letters	1x19
Catspaw	7 letters	1x01
Metamorphosis	13 letters	1x02
Obsession	9 letters	2x18

The Animated Series

The animated series followed a similar naming style to the original, although in this case even the single world titles are pretty odd.

Season	1	2
Total	1	2
Percentage	6.25 %	33.33 %
Shortest	10	3
Longest	10	9
Average	10	6

See all

Title	Length	Episode
Yesteryear	10 letters	1x02
Bem	3 letters	2x02
Albatross	9 letters	2x04

The Next Generation

TNG was clearly a transition point in the history of Star Trek. It was obviously more modern and naturally led into the later series with most of the new production staff staying with Star Trek.

It was also still led by Gene Roddenberry early on, along with some of the original writers. This meant that although there were a plenty of long and unusual titles, the preference for simpler ones was becoming established.

Looking at the list of titles we can see TNG has the first that might stretch the definition of “single word”, and that maybe 11001001 is not even be a word. By my established definition though, it counts.

Season	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Total	7	2	4	7	6	10	13
Percentage	28.00 %	9.09 %	15.38 %	28.00 %	25.00 %	43.48 %	56.52 %
Shortest	5	7	5	4	6	6	5
Longest	10	9	16	10	11	10	11
Average	7.57	8	10	6.57	8.33	7.7	8.31

See all

Title	Length	Episode
Haven	5 letters	1x05
Justice	7 letters	1x09
Battle	6 letters	1x10
Datalore	8 letters	1x14
11001001	8 letters	1x16
Symbiosis	9 letters	1x22
Conspiracy	10 letters	1x25
Contagion	9 letters	2x11
Manhunt	7 letters	2x19
Evolution	9 letters	3x01
Allegiance	10 letters	3x18
Sarek	5 letters	3x23
Transfigurations	16 letters	3x25
Family	6 letters	4x02
Brothers	8 letters	4x03
Legacy	6 letters	4x06
Reunion	7 letters	4x07
Clues	5 letters	4x14
Qpid	4 letters	4x20
Redemption	10 letters	4x26
Darmok	6 letters	5x02
Disaster	8 letters	5x05
Unification	11 letters	5x07
Violations	10 letters	5x12
Conundrum	9 letters	5x14
Ethics	6 letters	5x16
Relics	6 letters	6x04
Schisms	7 letters	6x05
Rascals	7 letters	6x07
Aquiel	6 letters	6x13
Tapestry	8 letters	6x15
Birthright	10 letters	6x16
Lessons	7 letters	6x19
Suspicions	10 letters	6x22
Timescape	9 letters	6x25
Descent	7 letters	6x26
Liaisons	8 letters	7x02
Interface	9 letters	7x03
Gambit	6 letters	7x04
Phantasms	9 letters	7x06
Attached	8 letters	7x08
Inheritance	11 letters	7x10
Parallels	9 letters	7x11
Homeward	8 letters	7x13
Masks	5 letters	7x17
Genesis	7 letters	7x19
Firstborn	9 letters	7x21
Bloodlines	10 letters	7x22
Emergence	9 letters	7x23

Deep Space Nine

DS9 followed a similar pattern to TNG. Many single-word titles, but plenty of longer ones too.

It also has another title that is questionable as a single word (that is yet another Q pun) in Q-Less.

Season	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Total	9	9	9	5	1	4	5
Percentage	42.86 %	37.50 %	37.50 %	20.00 %	3.85 %	15.38 %	20.00 %
Shortest	3	6	6	8	7	5	7
Longest	11	11	11	12	7	12	10
Average	6.56	8.33	8.33	9.4	7	8.75	8.4

See all

Title	Length	Episode
Emissary	8 letters	1x01
Babel	5 letters	1x05
Q-Less	6 letters	1x07
Dax	3 letters	1x08
Vortex	6 letters	1x12
Storyteller	11 letters	1x14
Progress	8 letters	1x15
Forsaken	8 letters	1x17
Duet	4 letters	1x19
Cardassians	11 letters	2x05
Melora	6 letters	2x06
Sanctuary	9 letters	2x10
Rivals	6 letters	2x11
Whispers	8 letters	2x13
Paradise	8 letters	2x14
Shadowplay	10 letters	2x15
Crossover	9 letters	2x23
Tribunal	8 letters	2x25
Equilibrium	11 letters	3x04
Meridian	8 letters	3x08
Defiant	7 letters	3x09
Fascination	11 letters	3x10
Destiny	7 letters	3x15
Visionary	9 letters	3x17
Explorers	9 letters	3x22
Shakaar	7 letters	3x24
Facets	6 letters	3x25
Indiscretion	12 letters	4x05
Rejoined	8 letters	4x06
Homefront	9 letters	4x11
Crossfire	9 letters	4x13
Accession	9 letters	4x17
Rapture	7 letters	5x10
Resurrection	12 letters	6x08
Waltz	5 letters	6x11
Inquisition	11 letters	6x18
Valiant	7 letters	6x22
Afterimage	10 letters	7x03
Chrysalis	9 letters	7x05
Covenant	8 letters	7x09
Chimera	7 letters	7x14
Penumbra	8 letters	7x17

Voyager

By the time Voyager was written, the preference for single-word titles is well established, peaking in season 2 in which 20 out of 26 have only one word, and includes two separate runs of seven consecutive episodes with single-word titles.

There is another Q pun with Q2 and a bit of controversy with 11:59.

Season	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Total	7	20	10	8	11	9	12
Percentage	46.67 %	76.92 %	41.67 %	34.78 %	44.00 %	36.00 %	54.55 %
Shortest	5	4	4	3	5	4	2
Longest	10	14	9	13	12	10	12
Average	7.29	8.8	7.1	7.25	7.36	7.22	8.25

See all

Title	Length	Episode
Caretaker	9 letters	1x01
Parallax	8 letters	1x03
Phage	5 letters	1x05
Emanations	10 letters	1x09
Cathexis	8 letters	1x13
Faces	5 letters	1x14
Jetrel	6 letters	1x15
Initiations	11 letters	2x02
Projections	11 letters	2x03
Elogium	7 letters	2x04
Twisted	7 letters	2x06
Parturition	11 letters	2x07
Tattoo	6 letters	2x09
Maneuvers	9 letters	2x11
Resistance	10 letters	2x12
Prototype	9 letters	2x13
Alliances	9 letters	2x14
Threshold	9 letters	2x15
Meld	4 letters	2x16
Dreadnought	11 letters	2x17
Lifesigns	9 letters	2x19
Investigations	14 letters	2x20
Deadlock	8 letters	2x21
Innocence	9 letters	2x22
Tuvix	5 letters	2x24
Resolutions	11 letters	2x25
Basics	6 letters	2x26
Flashback	9 letters	3x02
Remember	8 letters	3x06
Warlord	7 letters	3x10
Macrocosm	9 letters	3x12
Coda	4 letters	3x15
Unity	5 letters	3x17
Darkling	8 letters	3x18
Rise	4 letters	3x19
Displaced	9 letters	3x24
Scorpion	8 letters	3x26
Nemesis	7 letters	4x04
Revulsion	9 letters	4x05
Hunters	7 letters	4x15
Prey	4 letters	4x16
Retrospect	10 letters	4x17
Unforgettable	13 letters	4x22
Demon	5 letters	4x24
One	3 letters	4x25
Night	5 letters	5x01
Drone	5 letters	5x02
Timeless	8 letters	5x06
Counterpoint	12 letters	5x10
Gravity	7 letters	5x13
Bliss	5 letters	5x14
Juggernaut	10 letters	5x21
11:59	5 letters	5x23
Relativity	10 letters	5x24
Warhead	7 letters	5x25
Equinox	7 letters	5x26
Alice	5 letters	6x05
Riddles	7 letters	6x06
Pathfinder	10 letters	6x10
Virtuoso	8 letters	6x13
Memorial	8 letters	6x14
Tsunkatse	9 letters	6x15
Collective	10 letters	6x16
Muse	4 letters	6x22
Fury	4 letters	6x23
Imperfection	12 letters	7x02
Drive	5 letters	7x03
Repression	10 letters	7x04
Nightingale	11 letters	7x08
Shattered	9 letters	7x11
Lineage	7 letters	7x12
Repentance	10 letters	7x13
Prophecy	8 letters	7x14
Workforce	9 letters	7x16
Q2	2 letters	7x19
Homestead	9 letters	7x23
Endgame	7 letters	7x25

Enterprise

Enterprise titles continue the trend set in Voyager, despite dipping slightly.

If you wanted to be picky you might question the single-word status of Kir’Shara since not only does it contain an apsotrophe, but also a capital letter in the middle.

Season	1	2	3	4
Total	7	11	13	11
Percentage	28.00 %	44.00 %	54.17 %	55.00 %
Shortest	5	4	2	4
Longest	12	12	10	10
Average	8.71	8	7.38	7.45

See all

Title	Length	Episode
Unexpected	10 letters	1x05
Civilization	12 letters	1x09
Fusion	6 letters	1x17
Acquisition	11 letters	1x19
Oasis	5 letters	1x20
Detained	8 letters	1x21
Shockwave	9 letters	1x26
Minefield	9 letters	2x03
Marauders	9 letters	2x06
Singularity	11 letters	2x09
Dawn	4 letters	2x13
Stigma	6 letters	2x14
Canamar	7 letters	2x17
Judgment	8 letters	2x19
Horizon	7 letters	2x20
Cogenitor	9 letters	2x22
Regeneration	12 letters	2x23
Bounty	6 letters	2x25
Anomaly	7 letters	3x02
Extinction	10 letters	3x03
Rajiin	6 letters	3x04
Impulse	7 letters	3x05
Exile	5 letters	3x06
Twilight	8 letters	3x08
Similitude	10 letters	3x10
Stratagem	9 letters	3x14
Harbinger	9 letters	3x15
Hatchery	8 letters	3x17
Damage	6 letters	3x19
E²	2 letters	3x21
Countdown	9 letters	3x23
Home	4 letters	4x03
Borderland	10 letters	4x04
Forge	5 letters	4x07
Awakening	9 letters	4x08
Kir’Shara	9 letters	4x09
Daedalus	8 letters	4x10
United	6 letters	4x13
Affliction	10 letters	4x15
Divergence	10 letters	4x16
Bound	5 letters	4x17
Demons	6 letters	4x20

What about “the”

My anlysis has so far treated a leading “the” as a word. Repeating this while ignoring “the” may produce interesting results, and at the very least will increase the count in Voyager season 2.

Ions

Finally, while browsing the list one interesting pattern stood out. There are 8 episode titles ending in “ions”, including the longest Transfigurations, and a further 22 ending in “ion”.

Sadly, there are none from the animated series.

See all "ions" episodes

Title	Length	Series	Episode
Transfigurations	16 letters	TNG	3x25
Violations	10 letters	TNG	5x12
Suspicions	10 letters	TNG	6x22
Emanations	10 letters	VOY	1x09
Initiations	11 letters	VOY	2x02
Projections	11 letters	VOY	2x03
Investigations	14 letters	VOY	2x20
Resolutions	11 letters	VOY	2x25

See all "ion" episodes

Title	Length	Series	Episode
Obsession	9 letters	TOS	2x18
Contagion	9 letters	TNG	2x11
Evolution	9 letters	TNG	3x01
Reunion	7 letters	TNG	4x07
Redemption	10 letters	TNG	4x26
Unification	11 letters	TNG	5x07
Fascination	11 letters	DS9	3x10
Indiscretion	12 letters	DS9	4x05
Accession	9 letters	DS9	4x17
Resurrection	12 letters	DS9	6x08
Inquisition	11 letters	DS9	6x18
Parturition	11 letters	VOY	2x07
Scorpion	8 letters	VOY	3x26
Revulsion	9 letters	VOY	4x05
Imperfection	12 letters	VOY	7x02
Repression	10 letters	VOY	7x04
Civilization	12 letters	ENT	1x09
Fusion	6 letters	ENT	1x17
Acquisition	11 letters	ENT	1x19
Regeneration	12 letters	ENT	2x23
Extinction	10 letters	ENT	3x03
Affliction	10 letters	ENT	4x15