John Smith was the name given to him by Jamie McCrimmon. Remember Tooth and Claw? Affecting a Scottish accent and giving the name Doctor James McCrimmon? Yeah. That was Two's longest-serving companion. <33
SPOILERS THRU EVERYTHING JS FOR NEWER WATCHERS
So for some damn reason I got "Song for Ten" (aka Oceans Apart) stuck in my head a few days ago and I was thinking about the lyrics of the bridge. They go
So have a good life
Do it for me
Make me so proud
Like you want me to be
Where ever you are
I'm thinking of you oceans apart
I want you to know
And that's not just very Ten, but very Doctorish, yes? He's the type of person to inspire people. He's the kind of person who you want to make proud, because he's got a very complex but usually pretty good moral structure. He's clever and kind and sometimes not the best person but he's someone that you look up to in some way or another. And this is a parting song, telling a companion that he wants to see them live life to the fullest, be a person he could tell tales of to others with a sense of pride and joy that his friend is doing so well. This isn't a depressing parting, but any parting is emotional. And neither is going to forget the impact they had on the other.
This song very much applies to most companions. But I was thinking... does it apply to all the Doctors? I'm very Eleven-focused right now due to the fun of critical thinking and analysis, so of course it came to mind that this song doesn't apply to him very well. I don't associate him with being proud of his companions, and I still can't quite pinpoint why. Maybe it's because he never really let anyone go? Never let anyone else do anything? I just... can you imagine Eleven imparting the feeling of this song to anyone other than Amy? Even Amy is iffy; I feel like she never got to have a good life. Her whole life was the Doctor. She couldn't really do him proud because he didn't really let her.
Let me just go over other TV Doctor/companion dynamics. Listing first ones that work and second those that don't and why.
First Doctor: Susan, Ian & Barbara, Vicki, Steven. Missing from the list: Katarina & Sara (dead), Dodo Chaplet (off-screen departure due to expired contract of actress).
Second: Ben & Polly, Victoria, Jamie & Zoe (admittedly they went through memory wipes and forgot all but their first adventure with the Doctor but point stands).
Third: Liz , Jo, Benton. Missing: Mike Yates (due to previous betrayal).
Fourth: Sarah Jane, Harry, Leela, Romana, a few K9s.
Fifth: Nyssa, Tegan (though sad), Turlough. Missing: Adric & Kamelion (dead).
Sixth: none? Due to Peri & Mel being his only TV companions. Peri is assumed dead and Mel continues with Seven.
Seventh: Mel (and probably Ace who knows the show "went on hiatus").
Eighth: Grace.
Nine: None due to Rose continuing with Ten. Missing: Adam because he's a dumbass and endangered everyone.
Ten: Rose, Mickey, Martha, Donna, Wilf, Lady Christina, Jackson Lake. Missing: Astrid & Adelaide (dead).
Other Goodbyes: Jamie again with Six in a special. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, multiple times with multiple Doctors. Jack, multiple times with multiple Doctors under multiple names even (and in reverse!). Sarah Jane with Ten.
And then we have Eleven. Eleven with his weird near-codependency with Amy. Eleven, who seems to view Rory as an extension of Amy. Eleven with his... River. Eleven won't let go of Amy and by extension (only by extension!) Rory. At one point (God Complex) it seems like you could apply "have a good life, do it for me, make me so proud", but he doesn't leave Amy and Rory alone. He goes back in the Christmas special and takes over their lives again. He doesn't give either the chance to do something with their lives on their own- it's not until he's forced out of their lives that he can stop interfering. And even then, he's not proud, is he? Even though they did have a good life and were happy. He's still wallowing in the fact that he lost them. (side note: "the one who forgets, my ass.) With River it's even less applicable- have a good life? He's seen her die(?). Make me so proud, like you want me to be? I don't think he could ever be proud of River. Impressed, sure, but proud of how she lives her life? And does she even want him to be? She's not been inspired to do good because of him, has she?
In fact, the only relationship this song could apply to in Eleven's era is Eleven and Craig Owens. Craig is the one inspired by the Doctor to lead a good and happy life, but also to appreciate the universe and that they're more out there, even though he doesn't want to be involved in it. And Craig is the only one Eleven parts with willingly. No coercion, only a reappearance when Eleven was feeling lonely, no dragging him into things on purpose.
I just. More revelations seem to cement my view that Eleven is a very un-Doctorish Doctor. When that song can apply to the majority of the Doctor's important relationships but basically skips out on Eleven's when there was the chance for that type of relationship? That's out of character, isn't it?