Whether or not you watched the show in the 2000s, whenever someone mentioned NCIS, the face of Mark Harmon would immediately come to mind, becoming practically synonymous with the long-running series. Even if you’ve only come across an episode while flicking through channels, Harmon’s character’s name, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, may also ring a bell. Over 19 years later, both Harmon’s and Gibbs’ impact on NCIS can still be felt after his teary exit from the show. It’s safe to say that the name Leroy Jethro Gibbs carries a lot of weight in the series, but surprisingly, there was a chance Gibbs could have had a very different name before they even started filming the pilot.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs Nearly Had a Name Change in ‘NCIS’
During an interview in 2023, Harmon recalls when he was first presented with the idea of NCIS, he had never heard of the real Naval Criminal Investigative Services before, with Leon Carroll, a real NCIS agent who acted as an advisor for the show, being the first agent he met. While meeting Leon and learning more about the story reeled Harmon into the project, it was actually Gibbs’ name that first caught his interest. He says, “I was reading a lot of scripts, and I read this one, and the name Leroy Jethro Gibbs hit me.” The name even had a role in determining the face of the show, but would soon be briefly threatened.
“And there was a moment there where, in that couple of days, I think it changed to Bob Robinson or something.” Harmon further recalls, “And I right away called up and said, ‘The name has got to change back.’ And then someone said, ‘You can’t play a guy named Leroy Jethro Gibbs.’ I said, ‘Why not?'” The fact that Harmon also insisted that the name stay makes it even more special, especially since he also confesses, “If that name had not been there, I don’t think I would have been there.” Before the pilot aired or even existed, the name Leroy Jethro Gibbs had already become an instrumental part of creating what NCIS looks like today and its legacy.
While Harmon never explicitly explains why the team behind NCIS suggested he couldn’t play a character named Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a theory outlined by Fandomwire could be plausible. They suggest that the name was too “quirky” to suit Harmon’s “clean-cut, All-American vibe.” Harmon’s appearance certainly doesn’t immediately lend to a less commonplace name like Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but after 19 years of honing the role, it is clear he proved us and the team wrong. Instead, Harmon’s performance and the name worked symbiotically to establish an iconic character that would be remembered years after he left the limelight.
Gibbs’ Name Is Important to His Character in ‘NCIS’
While the name certainly pulled its weight in hooking in the star of the show, it also became integral to the character itself, both in regard to his memorability and storyline. A name like Bob, or something equally generic, lends itself to comical connotations (apologies to all the Bobs out there) that would undermine Gibbs’ tough, intimidating and honorable characterization, since Bob has already been used extensively in the media, with shows like Bob the Builder or Bob’s Burgers creating a certain image in our minds. Gibbs is much more unusual to come across, naturally making it more memorable and giving Harmon less competition to pave the way for the character’s fame through his taut, gritty, and nuanced performance. There are many Bobs, but there is only one Gibbs.
In Season 10, Episode 5, “The Namesake,” NCIS attributed further significance to the name Leroy Jethro, as we learn about how Gibbs’ namesake shaped his life. Gibb’s father, Jackson Gibbs (Ralph Waite), met Leroy Jethro “LJ” Moore (Billy Dee Williams) while working together in the coal mines and would later open the Stillwater General Store together. LJ became a childhood hero to young Gibbs as he learned about his time in World War II, specifically when he crossed an open field in Iwo Jima under heavy fire to rescue three injured platoon members, despite being shot multiple times, for which he earned a Medal of Honor. This inspired Gibbs to join the Marines himself, which we know from NCIS: Origins, heavily defined Gibbs’ demeanor, rules, and even his position as an NCIS agent. The idea of names having power could not be more relevant to Jethro Leroy Gibbs, a name that determined the fate of a beloved character and the legacy of NCIS.
