Stall no. 6
Boat name generator
Puns made for each kind of boat, classic names that would look right in gold leaf, and silly ones for the inflatable. Save a shortlist and say each one out loud before you paint it on.
- Deck Chair Diplomat
- Agnes's Delight
- Splash Pad
- Harbour Grudge
- The Breeze
- The Royal Rubber Ring
- The Seasick Sofa
- Shore Leave Pending
- Windfall
- Starboard Gaze
Saved names
0Tap the heart on any name to keep it here. The list stays in this browser on this device.
Three styles, five kinds of boat
Puns are hand-written for each kind of boat, so a fishing boat gets lines and nets, a sailboat gets masts and gusts and a kayak gets paddles and eddies, mixed with a few nautical puns that suit anything that floats. Classic names pair a steady adjective with a seabird, a wind or a star, or use a pair of old-fashioned first names, the way working boats have long been named. Silly names are for the inflatable, the rowing boat at the lake and anyone who wants the harbour to smile. The boat setting only changes the puns.
Choosing a name that works on the water
- Say it over a radio, or at least across a windy car park. Short names with clear sounds are easier for a harbour master to catch.
- Avoid anything that sounds like a call for help, such as Mayday or Pan-Pan. This generator leaves those out.
- Measure the space on the hull or transom before you fall for a long name; big letters read better from the quay.
- If the boat will be registered or documented, read the current rules for your country first.
In the United States, a name for a vessel documented with the Coast Guard must use Latin letters and Arabic or Roman numerals, must not sound like a distress call, and must not be obscene or a slur. A documented vessel also needs approval before it can be renamed.
Sources
- US Code of Federal Regulations, 46 CFR § 67.117, Vessel name designation: name requirements for documented vessels and approval for name changes. Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Questions
Is it bad luck to rename a boat?
Sailors have long said so, which is why some owners hold a small renaming ceremony to ask the sea's blessing for the new name. It is a tradition rather than a rule, and plenty of people simply enjoy it as an excuse for a party on the pontoon.
Can I use these names for a real boat?
Yes, they are free to use. Puns on common phrases are popular, so another boat in your marina may already carry one; a quick look along the pontoons saves an awkward radio call.
Why does the boat type not change classic and silly names?
Classic and silly names suit any hull, so they come from the same word lists for every boat. Puns depend on the boat's gear, so those are written separately for each kind.