Re: [FT] Ship Names

At 9:38 PM +1000 7/29/01, Andrew Ayres wrote:
>Hey All,
>  I'm just catching up after 3 months of not being able to read
messages
>(and boy can this list right!), but I need to pick up on a thread from
2 and
>a half months ago.
>
>The thread was NAC peerage, but it had names of nobles as in below, but
I
>was thinking these would make great names for ship designs, and ship
names
>for actual ones in fleets.  For the FTSC, people have requested a name
list,
>so if people can give me lists of names (preferably from all major -
and
>minor if available - sides) I can incorporate these into the program.
>Optionally, indicate names best suited to classes, and other best
suited to
>names, though I'd be happy enough with any names.

At least going by strict British Naval tradition, members of the 
peerage aren't normally chosen as Namesakes for warships. The US 
names ships after specific individuals that have either performed 
heroic actions, or have done great service for the Navy.

The problem with naming for the peerage title is that it will be 
confusing as to which one you are speaking of. Iron Duke and Black 
Prince are exceptions as those titles were epithets that were taken 
with honor. There are a few like Nelson, Jellicoe (became Anson), 
Beatty (became Howe). One exception I can find is the Duke of York.

Obviously the King/Queen are excepted (sometimes members of the royal 
family) but usually its either descriptive words, Invincible, 
Indefatigable, Illustrious, Valiant, Revenge, Terrible etc. Cruisers 
typically had city names (London, Devonshire, Sussex, Norfolk, 
Nottingham, Southampton), or during WWII some were named for counties 
(Suffolk, Berwick, Kent, etc). Then there are the usual spate of 
Mythological names, Achillies, Ajax. There are also names from 
territories. Malaya ( Battleship since they contributed a large sum 
to the war effort), New Foundland, Uganda, Cylon, etc.

Typically the names followed a theme. For example the Admiralty S 
class DD had Scabre, Saladin, Sardonyx, Scimitar, Scout, Shikari, and 
the oddball name Tenedos. Birds are sometimes used as in the Black 
Swan class of Sloops. Black Swan, Snipe, Sparrow, Starliong, MAgpie, 
PEacock, Pheasant, Redpole, Cygnet, Wren, etc. During WWII, there was 
also a Castle class named for many castles (Amberley Castle, Farnham 
Castle, Oxford Castle, Flint Castle, etc).

The current class of landing ships in the RN use Arthurian names, Sir 
Galahad, Sir Bedivere, Sir Lancelot, etc. There are also ships named 
for forts, leafs (Oak Leaf, Apple Leaf etc. )

I suspect a correct patter for NAC names would be a combination of 
US, RN and RCN practice. Canadian names are interesting in the large 
use of Native American (First Nations to you Canadians in the list) 
names for warship names.

Take a gander over at http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/ for names. 
Its also a great source for Froggie, Eurie and Other names.

What do you name an OU DD? Te Kaha perhaps? Toowoomba maybe?

--
- Ryan Montieth Gill		DoD# 0780 (Smug #1) / AMA / SOHC -
- ryan.gill@SPAMturner.com  I speak not for CNN, nor they for me -
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