I would like to know the exact origin of the Borg on Star Trek.  The
Borg "number" the species they encounter, but I have not seen a
reference to species #1 – the species that initiated the Borg
"collective."  Though I have seen many episodes of all the Star Trek
series, I am not a Trekkie as such, so it is possible that the answer
might be in an episode that I have not viewed.

I am not, by the way, interested in finding various web theories put
forth by just anyone on this, but what the producers, directors,
writers, or other official persons have said about Borg origins.  I am
also not sure if there is an answer to this, as I asked some people
who are much more Trek-absorbed than I, and they said they didn't
think there was one.  But if there is, I am very curious.

Dear Portobello,

Your original question proved to be unanswerable due to the devious
nature of Trek's scriptwriters, but I notice that in a comment you
have kindly provided us with an alternate: "As a follow-up question,
does anyone know what the lowest numbered species that has been named
is?"

I have found a list of the numbered species known to have been
assimilated by the Borg. The lowest number on the list is Species 116;
the highest number is 10026. Humans are Species 5618. Keep in mind
that it is not certain that these numbers are linear (i.e. that
Species 10026 is the 10026th species met by the Borg;) some Trekkers
speculate that the numbers may be descriptors of various
characteristics of the races, and may not be sequentially assigned.

Not all the species on this list have "names," exactly, but all have
descriptions related to a certain Trek source. "Voyager" developed
Borg lore a great deal beyond the point where TNG left off. The
"numbering of species" concept and the numbering system of Borg drones
(most famously the zaftig Seven of Nine) were developed by the
"Voyager" creative team. This list was submitted to the
alt.startrek.borg newsgroup by the suspiciously-named "captjim."
Apparently Kirk has a hand in everything. ;-)

Species 116  
Arturis' people
Example: Arturis
Remarks: perfected quantum slipstream drive.  Resisted assimilation
until species 8472 retreated from Borg space.
Episode: Hope and Fear [VOY]

Species 125  
Original species of the Borg Queen
Episode: Dark Frontier [VOY]

Species 149  
Borg obtained medical technology, specifically the ability to
reactivate dead drones, from this race 
Episode: Mortal Coil [VOY]

Species 180  
Ferengi 
Episode: Infinite Regress [VOY]

Species 218  
Talaxian
Remarks: Easily Assimilated. Their dense musculature made them 
excellent drones.
Examples: Neelix, Wix Aban
Episode: The Raven [VOY]

Species 259  
Omnicordial life-form from Galactic cluster 3
Remarks: The Borg use an autonomous regeneration sequencer,
designed to counteract resistance,... It is technology
assimilated from Species 259 that automatically replicates
any Borg circuitry that is removed or disabled by non-Borg means.  
Galactic cluster 3 is a transmaterial energy plane intersecting 
22 billion omnicordial life forms. 
Episode: The Gift [VOY]

Species 262  
Remarks: Primitive race assimilated in 2145. (229 years before this
episode).  Their oral language referred to a powerful substance
which could burn the sky.  This lead the Borg to 13 more species
(including 263) before finding one with useful scientific
information about Omega.    
Episode: The Omega Directive [VOY]

Species 263  
Remarks: Primitive race which believed that Omega was a drop of
blood from their creator.
Episode: The Omega Directive [VOY]

Species 312
Remarks: They erected tetryon based shields around endangered cultures
Episode: Natural Law [VOY]

Species 329  
Kazon
Remarks: Borg encountered them in the Gan sector.
Example: Jal Culluh  
Episode: Mortal Coil [VOY]

Species 521  
Shivolian 
Episode: Survival Instinct [VOY]

Species 571
P'Chan's species
Episode: Survival Instinct [VOY]

Species 3105
The Rhawn (People of Traveler)
Remarks: Primitive but familiar technology.
Examples: Aetayn, Lyspa
Novel: Section 31 - Shadow

Species 3259  
Vulcan  
Remarks: The enlarged neocortex produces superior analytical abilities
Examples: Tuvok, Sarek
Episode: The Raven [VOY]

Species 4228  
Hazari
Remarks: A race of bounty hunters who are particularly valued as
tactical drones.  
Episode: Think Tank [VOY]

Species 5174  
Remarks: A spacefaring race encountered by the Borg which was found
"gutted" in the same manner as a humanoid that Voyager found that
had been attacked by the Hirogen.
Episode: Hunters [VOY]

Species 5618  
Human  
Remarks: Warp-capable. Origin: Grid 325. Physiology: inefficient. 
Below-average cranial capacity. Minimal redundant systems.
Limited regenerative abilities. The Hansens may have been the first
humanoids assimilated in 2356 while studying the Borg in the Delta
Quadrant. This may have also led to the Borg's first scouting
missions to the Alpha Quadrant where they attacked outposts along
the Romulan Neutral Zone in 2364.
Episode: Dark Frontier [VOY]

Species 5973
Remarks: multispectral particle lifeform from Galactic cluster 8
Episode: Haunting of Deck Twelve [VOY]

Species 6291
Yridian
Remarks: All but wiped out by the Borg, but Captain Ransom found a few
survivors.
Episode: Eqinox [VOY]

Species 6339  
Remarks: Humanoid. Warp-capable. Origin: Grid 124, Octant 22 Theta.
11 billion individuals assimilated.  They created a biological
agent carried within their bodies which when they are assimilated,
mutates into a synthetic pathogen which spreads to, and attacks
the programs within the Vinculum of Borg vessels as a virus attacks
living cells.   Their first encounter with the Borg was 4 years before
this episode. 
Example: Ven
Episode: Infinite Regress [VOY]

Species 6961  
Ktarians
Remarks: 8 chambered heart  
Episode: Dark Frontier [VOY]

Species 8472  
Remarks: Encountered in 2373 in fluidic space, they are the only
species to offer true resistance to the Borg.
They destroyed millions of drones and hundreds of Borg worlds.
They cannot be assimilated because any chemical, biological, or
technological attempts to penetrate its cell membrane are instantly
destroyed.  They are a Telepathic species.  Their DNA is 100x more
densely coded than human DNA.  Their tech is biogenically engineered.
Their assimilation would have greatly added to the Borg's perfection.
Their bodies generate a bioelectric field that can't be scanned
through.  They are native to fluidic space which can be accessed
by creating a singularity using deflector technology.  The thoracic
crest appears to be its most vulnerable spot.
Episode: Scorpion [VOY]

Species 10026 
Remarks: Race which was assimilated in 2376.  Their vessels lack
maneuverability, but they've developed a modulating phaser pulse
that can penetrate Borg shields. The Borg easily adapted by
triaxialating their shield matrix.
Episode: Dark Frontier [VOY]

From the alt.startrek.borg newsgroup: Borg species number
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=3B67A59F.3322C9E%40postoffice.pacbell.net&oe=UTF-8&output=gplain

My search strategy: Google Groups, using keywords "number" + "species"
+ "assimilated" + "Borg"

Thanks so much for asking a fun and interesting question. May all your
brandy be Saurian, may your enterprises be unwarped, and may your life
be tribble-free!

~pinkfreud

Dear Pinkfreud, 

Good answer!  I hope also hope that your brandy is Saurian, your blood
wine is chilled to perfection, and that you have unlimited dililthium
crytals for all of your journeys!

--Portobello

This is a great question!

Lolita Fatjo, who has worked as a script consultant and production
coordinator on several of the Trek series, was asked by a fan about
the origin of the Borg at a science fiction convention that I attended
in June 2001.

Lolita said that the early history of the Borg was intentionally
shrouded in mystery, and that the question of "Who Was Species One"
was probably going to be the sort of teaser that would never be
definitively answered in any of the TV or film incarnations of Star
Trek. She admitted that the Star Trek novels have divergent
history-lines of their own, and that some enterprising novelists might
possibly take up the subject. Most of us who are hardcore Trekkers do
not accept the novels as being authoritative when it comes to Trek
lore. We may read 'em for pleasure, but that doesn't mean that we
believe 'em. ;-)

"The origins of the Borg are unknown, although they apparently
originated in the Delta Quadrant."
http://www.startrek.com/library/borg/

So says startrek.com owned by Paramount Studios (I'd say that was
pretty authoritative).

Live Long and Prosper...=)

A friend who is a more devoted Trekker than I am has informed me that
in the novel "Star Trek: The Return," it is established that the Borg
had their origin in the demented activities of the same 20th century
Voyager space probe that became "V'ger" in the first Star Trek Motion
Picture.

As Spock would say, "Fascinating."

But, since most Trek fans reject the books and other printed sources
of Trek data (and Trek lore,) this doesn't really satisfy as an
answer. The Trek novels sometimes contradict one another, so if one is
to believe them all, one must view them as occurring in parallel
timelines (which, of course, is a hallowed SF concept.)

Hmm, that's a shame.  As a follow-up question, does anyone know what
the lowest numbered species that has been named is?  Has there been
mention of a species two, three, four, ten, etc.?  I think the Borg
Queen's species has a pretty low number, but the only number I
remember specifically is the very high species 8472.

Don't go to too much trouble on this - I'm just curious. :-)  (and I'd
be happy to accept the answer of this question for the money I have
offered).

Just a humorous side-comment:

As a 30+ year fan of Star Trek (including all 5 series, the movies,
many of the books, and a few conventions in my younger, wilder days),
after a tainted restaurant meal which provided me with the opportunity
to spend a great deal of time on reflection (if ya know what I mean),
I became convinced that I had discovered Gene Roddenberry's
inspiration for the name of the nastiest alien race in Star Trek-dom:
I looked in the corner of the room and noticed the brand name on my
bathroom scale: "Borg".

I don't know if this is where they got their name, but I'm not ruling
it out!

Aceresearcher,

I'm pretty sure the name Borg came from Cyborg.

With Kind Regards,

Benjamin

Wow, Captain Sisko is posting on Google Answers! :-)

I agree with benjaminsisko-ga that "Borg" is likely to have come from
"cyborg." Another possibility: the word "borg" means "castle" or
"fortress" in several Scandinavian languages. The immense Borg cubes
are certainly fortresses.

I have never seen a truly authoritative source for the word, but it's
fun to speculate!