Surprising Stories from the Set of Gilligan’s Island

Gilligan’s first name is one of TV’s favorite trivia stumpers. Early on, Sherwood Schwartz said he toyed with naming him “Willy,” and that name even slipped into an early press release. Fans latched onto it, believing it might be official.

But Schwartz later clarified something big: the Howells are the only characters on the island addressed by their last names. That means Gilligan must be his first name—and his last name is the real mystery. Bob Denver agreed, saying he always played him as simply “Gilligan.” So the correct trivia answer? The question itself is the trap.