is Star trek Popular? Are you serious? Its debateably the most popular science fiction universe in history. There are hundreds of episodes across multiple storylines and timelines. Hell, im not a Trek fan and I still know its a popular series!
SHana O'Hara. Pete Mitchell, TOm kazanski.
And all just from memory
That said i take the point. Callsigns are cool, and i wouldnt have minded seeing them in the show, but they would have been confusing and unnecessary. In Macross i suppose we would have only needed 4: Roy, Hikaru, Max and Hayao. But still...