Although Sulu was presumably of Japanese ancestry, the name "Sulu" may have been taken from the Sulu Sea, near the Phillipines. On the other hand, Desilu studio executive Herb Solow has stated that the Enterprise helm officer was named for him. And finally, some have theorized that "Sulu" might be a transliteration of "tsuru," the Japanese name for the crane, a bird regarded as a national treasure. To the Japanese, the tsuru is a symbol of good fortune, strength, fidelity, and longevity.