Excuse me if I completely missed it, but it was never actually said what she whispered to him. Why are we all assuming she knew his name?

Because he said so.

Really? Then I stand corrected.
What was the exchange...?

"You whispered my name, in my ear. There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name ... there's only one time I could"

Still wonder why Ten said that ..

My ideas
-River is the Doctors wife -she is told the Doctors name as part of their wedding.
-River is seen in the specials for the first time as Rose's Doctors companion-it's Rose's Doctor who told her his name because it is the same as Ten .. he's on his travels with River things having not worked out with Rose...

I've thought for a while now David might be playing two Doctors in the specials ..Double Tennant in his farewell to the tv series ..

River Song is future Donna. That's why she gets all weirded out when she finds out who Donna is, and she knows his name because Donna learned it when she was the DoctorDonna.... or not.

I think there could be numerous reasons for her knowing his name. The whole "marriage" thing seems too simplistic, imo.

I do find it curious that it's past tense "could".

...like Tennant's Extra?

(hic!)

It doesn't have to be past tense. "There's only one time I could" could just as easily be "there is only one time" as opposed to "there was only one time".

Yes, that would seem the most likely explanation. However, SM said on the dvd commentary for one of the SitL / FotD two parters, that 'no rings had been exchanged' when Julie Gardner pressed him about who RS was / is.

Of course, he's probably forgotten what he said on a commentary and the above still seems the most likely justification of it all.

I'm a bit confused by the changing face of the doctor, but I'm sure they'll clear all that up.

Oh yes the look at the name Donna Noble suggests something to be revealed while Catherine is in the specials I agree ..

Oh good spot there Ten said could -why not would?

As if he can't tell anyone that name even if he wanted to and Ten's thinking theres only one time he can ..?

which leads us to the Doctor or Rose's Doctor got married and thats the time ..

Or possibly as death nears the name might be told but thats so downbeat have my doubts it's that ..

Oh God, the Tenth Doc gets killed off by Andy Millman's slug thing...

[I know it's not what you meant, but I couldn't resist].

Could be when he becomes a father ...

They'd need it for the birth certificate.

Aww love it that would be nice .

Couldn't he just have told her because he knew that in her future, she'd have to know his name to tell him?

Amy Pond. A young redhead, with a (rubbish) water-related name. Are we missing something here?

Is this incident the only reason that some people, including some of the media, quote River Song as the Doctor's future wife despite it never being actually confirmed anywhere?

Pretty much, although I think Moffat (possibly in Production Notes in DWM) may have added fuel to the fire by implying it in the past.

I may be wrong there though, so don't quote me on that.

Yeah, I think so, although Julie Gardner is quite vocal on the commentaries in her belief that she's his wife.

I believe Moffat has just said "it's a bit more complicated than that"

well Julie appears with the new doc in the new series...whether its as River or as a new charactor we dont know yet....

What she really whispered was




"I used to be a man..................................

Here is David's comments about River (just over halfway into the interview) that pretty much gave away that she will return -Colin Murray congratulating the listener on the question .


Listening again just spotted that near the end of the interview David seems to give the impression that we won't find out the Doctor's name ..so thats saying to me ..

I'm going to guess whoever River is she already knows the Doctor's name when we first see her -I think Rose's Doctor tells her and we first see them both in the specials and they are already a couple ..

I like your thinking.

I'm amazed that no one has yet mentioned the fact that Alex Kingston has been pictured filming with Matt Smith for the new series.

It's not been said if she's playing River Song, but I don't think it would work having her play another character unless that character is somehow related to River Song.

Like Gwen and Gwynneth, or Martha and Adeola.

"you know, I could murder a trip to the pizza hut salad bar right now, the blue cheese dressing is AWESOME despite being really punishing on the hips"

That would be 4 coincidences too many, if you count Peter Capaldi too.