What is the name of House M.D.’s fictional diagnostic department head?

Gregory House is the fictional diagnostic department head in House M.D.

House is a physician specializing in diagnostic medicine at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. He is portrayed as exceptionally skilled at solving rare cases, but his abrasive manner, rule-breaking, and dependence on pain medication repeatedly create conflicts with colleagues and administrators.

The character was created by David Shore and played by Hugh Laurie. Shore has described House as being partly inspired by Sherlock Holmes, particularly the detective’s observational ability, unconventional methods, and friendship with a more conventional confidant. House’s surname also echoes Holmes through a wordplay connection to “home.”

House’s first name is Gregory, while James Wilson is his closest friend and Eric Foreman is a neurologist who works on his teams. Those characters are often mentioned alongside him, but Gregory House is the department’s defining leader.