According to Television Academy, Nichelle Nichols discussed how Gene Roddenberry and her came up with "Uhura" as a name. Nichols had suggested the name "Uhuru," which is the Swahili word for "freedom." She stumbled upon the name while reading a book that she took to her auditions. The actress said she introduced the name to Roddenberry, but he wasn't quite sold. Apparently, he felt it was too tough.
"He says, 'It sounds too harsh for a female,'" said Nichols. But she quickly had a solution — substituting the "a" for "u" to come up with "Uhura." Rodenberry was happy with the slight change. "He said, 'That's it, that's your name! You named it — it's yours. Now I know exactly where your character comes from, the United States of Africa,'" said Nichols.
Sticking with the cultural significance, it was only right that any other names she had were also of Swahili derivation. And when the show was on the verge of cancellation, a show writer who created more about Lt. Uhura's background came up with the character's full name. Nichols said that she decided "Uhura" was going to be the surname, and "Nyota" and "Upenda" became the character's first two names.
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