25 Astonishing Grey's Anatomy Facts You Didn't Know

As the longest-running primetime medical drama on television, Grey's Anatomy has faced its fair share of challenges, with a few unexpected twists along the way. Despite these ups and downs, Shondaland's inaugural hit, now in its 17th season, still has plenty of hidden gems. Here are 25 intriguing facts about the show.

1. The idea for Grey’s Anatomy came to series creator Shonda Rhimes after a conversation with a doctor about the difficulty of shaving one's legs in a hospital shower.

Shonda Rhimes shared with Oprah that, although she had always enjoyed shows centered around surgeries and ERs, the distinctive concept for her series emerged when a doctor mentioned how challenging it was to shave her legs in a cramped hospital shower. 'At first, it seemed like a trivial detail,' Rhimes explained. 'But then I realized that this was likely the only time and place she might have to do it. That’s how demanding the job really is.'

2. The title of the show is inspired by a renowned medical textbook.

Grey’s Anatomy is named after its central character, Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). However, both the character and the show’s name are a tribute to the medical textbook Gray’s Anatomy, authored by English anatomist Henry Gray and first published in 1858. The book is regarded as the authoritative work on human anatomy and is now in its 41st edition, complete with some updates since its first release.

3. Grey's Anatomy wasn’t the only name under consideration.

Kate Walsh, who portrayed Addison Montgomery for three seasons in Grey’s Anatomy’s early years, once revealed that other potential titles for the series were Doctors, Surgeons, and Complications.

4. Shonda Rhimes had very clear ideas about her characters, right down to the items they would keep in their hospital lockers.

Part of the character descriptions for the main actors included what was in their lockers. Meredith’s contained stacks of old birthday cards she never got around to mailing and three alarm clocks to avoid oversleeping. George O’Malley had medical journals and old textbooks. Cristina Yang’s locker held a Palm Pilot with the latest research articles, high heels for after-work outings, and condoms because 'you never know.'

5. Every episode of Grey’s Anatomy is named after a song—except one.

Since the very first episode, 'A Hard Day’s Night,' named after the Beatles song, every episode has been titled after a song, from Public Enemy's 'Fight the Power' to Elmo & Patsy's 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.' The only exception was a season 14 episode titled '1-800-799-7233'—the actual hotline number for reporting domestic violence, which was the episode's central theme.

6. Some of Grey's Anatomy’s filming locations are actual places.

While the interior hospital scenes are shot on a set, the exterior shots take place at a VA hospital in North Hills, California. Meredith's house, at least the exterior, is a real home located in the Queen Anne district of Seattle. The scenes at Joe's Bar were originally filmed at an actual bar called McMurphy’s in Pasadena before being recreated on set for convenience. McMurphy’s has since changed ownership and is now known as Der Wolf.

7. The writers of Grey's Anatomy work with real medical professionals.

To ensure accuracy, Grey’s writers consult a team of medical experts for the correct jargon and phrasing. However, in her book Year of Yes, Rhimes mentioned that during the writing process, they often use the word 'medical' as a stand-in for more specific terms, sometimes resulting in humorous and nonsensical dialogue. Rhimes recalled, 'Meredith will say, 'I need a medical medical to medical!' and someone else will respond, 'Well, I have medical medical.' 'Well, hand me the medical!' Rhimes also used this approach in Scandal, where the placeholder word was 'political.'

8. During Grey’s Anatomy’s first season, there was one real doctor on staff.

The writers would brainstorm outrageous, often headline-grabbing scenarios, and then consult Zoanne Clack, an emergency room doctor with experience as a medical supervisor on ER, to ground them in reality. 'What was interesting was that the writers didn’t have those boundaries because they weren’t familiar with the rules, so they’d pitch these wild scenarios,' Clack shared in an interview with Variety. 'My immediate reaction would be, 'No way!' But then I’d have to think, 'Could it actually happen?'” Clack is now a producer, writer, editor, and actor on Grey’s Anatomy.

9. Patrick Dempsey’s 'McDreamy' nickname was inspired by Dempsey himself.

'When we were filming the pilot, Patrick [Dempsey] was absolutely the most adorable man we'd ever seen on camera,' Rhimes told Oprah. 'We’d watch the monitor and think, 'Look at those dreamy eyes!' That’s when we started calling him Patrick McDreamy, and the name just stuck.'

10. Grey’s Anatomy’s well-known slang for female genitalia came from an off-camera moment.

'I heard one of our assistants using va-jay-jay instead of vagina. It was the funniest thing I’d ever heard,' Rhimes shared with Oprah. The term was first used by Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) during a childbirth scene. 'Stop looking at my va-jay-jay,' she told intern George O’Malley (T.R. Knight).

11. The writers of Grey’s Anatomy were once criticized for using the word 'vagina' too frequently.

Rhimes and the writers received feedback that they had used the word 'vagina' too many times in a single episode. 'We once used the word penis 17 times in one episode and no one batted an eye. But when it came to vagina, the people at broadcast standards and practices were reacting over and over,' Rhimes told The New York Times. 'I think people are uncomfortable talking about the female anatomy, which is unfortunate, since it’s a part of half the population.'

12. Rob Lowe could have been Grey’s Anatomy’s McDreamy.

Lowe was offered the part before Patrick Dempsey but chose to star in the short-lived series Dr. Vegas instead. However, Lowe feels no remorse. 'If I had taken the part, I wouldn’t have been as interesting as Patrick,' Lowe told Variety. 'If I’d played the role, fans wouldn’t have called me McDreamy—they would’ve just called me Rob Lowe.' This choice also opened the door for him to join another iconic show.

'Had I taken the role on Grey’s Anatomy, I wouldn’t have been in Parks and Recreation,' Lowe said. 'And that alone makes it worth it for me.' Another actor who auditioned for McDreamy was Isaiah Washington, who eventually played Dr. Preston Burke.

13. The show wasn’t expected to make it past its first season.

After the first season wrapped, Grey's Anatomy writers were told to clear out their offices because the showrunners didn’t think the series would be renewed for a second season.

14. The blood and guts on Grey's Anatomy are authentic—sort of.

Though not real human blood and organs, the show uses cow organs, cow blood, red Jell-O, and chicken fat to make the surgical scenes look incredibly lifelike. According to some actors, the smell is anything but pleasant.

15. The scrub nurse on Grey's Anatomy is a real professional.

BokHee, the scrub nurse portrayed by Kathy C An, has appeared in numerous episodes and occasionally even had a line or two. According to Sandra Oh, BokHee is indeed a real surgical nurse.

16. After several controversies involving actors on Grey’s Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes instituted a new policy.

Rhimes refers to it as her 'no a**holes policy,' a rule she started enforcing on her next show, Scandal, which premiered in 2012. 'There are no Heigls in this situation,' Rhimes explained to The Hollywood Reporter, referencing the infamous incident with actress Katherine Heigl, who declined an Emmy nomination, claiming the quality of the scripts she received wasn’t worthy of an award. 'I don't put up with bullsh*t or nasty people. I don't have time for it.'

17. The characters Joe the Bartender and Nurse Debbie each got their own book.

In 2006, producers released Grey's Anatomy: Notes from the Nurse's Station (Overheard at the Emerald City Bar), a book that shared instant messages from Nurse Debbie, who often overheard various gossip at the nurse’s station. The book also featured stories from Joe the Bartender, revealing snippets of the conversations he overheard from his tired patrons.

18. Debbie Allen championed greater diversity behind the scenes of Grey's Anatomy.

When Debbie Allen joined Grey's Anatomy as a director and executive producer just before season 12 (she had directed individual episodes and acted on the show before), one of her key objectives was to hire 50 percent female directors and increase the representation of Black male directors. Among the directors she recruited was Denzel Washington, who directed the episode 'The Sound of Silence.' Despite the unconventional nature of the choice, Washington agreed without hesitation, saying, 'I’m going to say yes to Debbie Allen.'

19. Only three of Grey's Anatomy’s original cast members are still part of the show.

After Justin Chambers, who portrayed Dr. Alex Karev, left in season 16, only three of the original actors remain: Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey, James Pickens as Dr. Richard Webber, and, of course, Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey.

20. Shonda Rhimes has made it clear that when Ellen Pompeo decides to leave, Grey's Anatomy will come to an end.

In 2017, Rhimes shared with E! News, “Ellen and I have a pact that I'll continue the show as long as she does. The show will go on as long as we both want to be a part of it. If she decides to leave, we’ll stop."

21. Grey’s Anatomy played a role in changing public perceptions about HIV-positive pregnancies.

In 2008, the Kaiser Family Foundation collaborated with Grey's writers to craft a storyline aimed at shifting the public’s view on pregnancies in women living with HIV. The show highlighted that with proper medical care, HIV-positive women have a 98 percent chance of having a healthy baby, a fact that many were unaware of. Studies conducted before and after the episode aired showed a significant increase in viewers’ understanding of mother-to-child HIV transmission rates, with the knowledge remaining even six weeks later.

22. Grey's Anatomy has also saved lives in unexpected ways.

In 2011, a woman from Wisconsin suffered a severe asthma attack and collapsed. Her 10-year-old daughter and a friend performed CPR after learning it from an episode of Grey's Anatomy. The woman made a full recovery.

23. The names listed on the surgical board in Grey's Anatomy are not arbitrary.

Throughout almost every episode, the surgical board at Seattle Grace shows a detailed list of the day’s surgeries, patients, surgeons, and anesthesiologists. While many surgeon names are familiar, the patient names often include crew members who actually work on the show.

24. Grey's Anatomy’s musical episode was inspired by actress Sara Ramirez.

Before stepping into the role of Dr. Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy, Ramirez won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Her portrayal of Lady of the Lake in Spamalot earned her numerous musical accolades, which ultimately inspired Shonda Rhimes to incorporate her musical talents into a special episode she had been envisioning for some time. While the episode "Song Beneath the Song" may not be regarded as one of Grey's Anatomy’s finest, Ramirez received widespread praise for her performance.

25. Ellen Pompeo has a specific request when it comes to filming the Grey's Anatomy series finale.

Her wish? That the original cast members return. While this could be tricky, as many of them have met tragic ends on the show, Grey's Anatomy is no stranger to creative twists—whether it’s ghosts, dreams, or hallucinations. Who knows what the showrunners have planned.