What was “Alien” originally titled?

The answer is: "Star Beast"

"Star Beast" (or "Starbeast" in some copies) was screenwriter Dan O'Bannon's original title when he first started shopping his script around Hollywood. He found himself repeatedly writing the word "alien" throughout his draft to describe the creature, the planet, and the situation. The repetition eventually led him to realize that "Alien" worked perfectly as the title itself.

O'Bannon recognized that "Star Beast" sounded too much like a typical 1950s creature feature. The project needed something colder and more mysterious. The single word "Alien" perfectly captured both the physical threat and the ominous feeling in his story.

The new title proved perfect for attracting serious talent. When the script landed on Ridley Scott's desk, it already carried the minimalist name "Alien" rather than the B-movie feel of "Star Beast." The change helped position the project as the sophisticated horror film it would become. The studio marketing team certainly appreciated it too. After all, their legendary tagline "In space, no one can hear you scream" just wouldn't hit the same beneath the title "Star Beast."