Best Boat Name Ideas – The Ultimate Free Guide

Our free guide is the ultimate resource to help you think of the best boat name to suit you and your boat perfectly. We have packed it full of different ways to think of a name as well as a huge list of boat name ideas. More than just the top 100 list of the world’s coolest boat name ideas. 

It’s a popular superstition that changing your boat name can bring bad luck and make your boating experience something that you would prefer to forget. So what happens when you find your dream boat with a name that you just can’t live with?

You can use any of the boat names in this list if you like or just looking through the list could inspire you to come up with a unique and original name for your boat.

If you are just registering your boat in your state, the same boat names can be used many times. Australian registered vessels on the other hand, have to apply for the boat name, and there can only be one boat with that name. You can get around this by adding II, etc. at the end of the boat name when you register it.

Do you want an excuse for a party and to keep up with the boat naming tradition? Use our free Boat Naming or Boat Renaming Ceremony to Christen your boat with her new name.

One of the most important components of personalising our boat is naming it. In our search for an original and meaningful name we often name our boats to reflect our own personalities – this can be fun and challenging at the same time.  This boat name guide can help you think of a unique or funny boat name – or one that may reflect your current circumstances.

Your choice should be one that feels the most comfortable. Make a shortlist, sleep on it and sound out your options to friends and family before making a final decision. Naming your boat requires a degree of imagination as well as consideration about what you intend to do on and with your boat.

When choosing a name, consider the image it creates for others. Some names may offend people, or you might resent it in the future. We once witnessed a mayday call from a boat called “Just Joking”, which made the whole conversation a bit confusing. More importantly, remember that it has to be understood on the radio. You don’t want it to be too long, complicated, and hard to pronounce, or it will be difficult to understand and transmit.

Best Boat Names Lists by Category updated for 2023

Use Girls Names and Combinations to name your boat

Throughout history, naming your boat after a partner or child has always been a popular practice. Particularly when using a female name. You could stick to the tradition or combine two names to create something new and unique. For example:

MARABEL (Mary and Belle) MIKEVA (Mike and Eva) DONELLA (Donald and Ella)

Or use a combination of two shorter names in full. For example:

KERRYANN 
MARYJANE 
JOANNA

These name combinations are only limited by your imagination and the given names of those closest to you.

Fun Boat Names Using Given Names

Want to use the name of a loved one (or your own), but still give passers-by a smile on their face? Get inspired by some of these funny Boat Name Ideas.

Name your boat after a Famous Woman or the Love of your Life

For centuries feminine names have been chosen for boats. Traditional wooden ships were adorned with elaborately carved and painted female figureheads, believing that these statues of nude or semi-nude women would calm the rough seas. Feeling a bit superstitious or are you a fan of history and traditions?

Have a look at this list dedicated to women.

Use Meaning to name your boat

Names help us form impressions and curious names help us remember these impressions. Set a mood with your Boat Name that suits your boat and your personality.

You could simply think of a word to describe your craft. If you have a big strong boat that could sit through any storm – something like DAUNTLESS might suit you quite well. If you have more of a little weekend runabout, something like JOYFUL or BOUNCER may just do the trick.

Boat name ideas using your Occupation?

Does what you do for a living make you proud or defines who you are? Consider using your occupation to create your Boat Name. Use words from your profession’s terminology in full, such as COUNSELLOR, or be inspired by words associated with your profession, such as persons, animals, etc.

For example, if you are a singer, you could name your boat NIGHTINGALE. Don’t forget about a bit of wordplay either! Do you fly planes for a living? What about PILOTHOUSE?

Best boat names using Colours

If the hull of your boat is a very distinct colour, use it in your name for an easy identifier.

Design your own Boat Names
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Perhaps you have a favorite Mineral or Semi-Precious Stone you could name your boat after

The sparkle of precious gemstones, birthstones, and expensive metals inspire some great names for boats as they give a sense of luxury and strength. 

You could think of a gemstone in the colour of your hull. Green boat? Call it EMERALD. Or you could pick the birthstone that is associated with your own birthday or with the day your boat will be launched.

The birthstone for Pisces is Aquamarine, which as the name suggests, has had a long association with the sea, sailors, and mermaids. Ancient folklore has it that the aquamarine stone was worn to protect sailors from drowning.

Boat Names Using the Phonetic Alphabet

Use your initials in conjunction with the phonetic alphabet, such as: 

PAPA KILO 
ALPHA TANGO 
ECHO DELTA 
ALPHA OSCAR 
MIKE LIMA PAPA 

Classic Boat Names

Classical Names

Names from literature, art, classical music and philosophy can say a lot about your personality, heritage, and education. Plus, they make for some nice sounding Boat Names.

Mythology

Over the centuries, the gods and goddesses of mythology have been used as names for vessels. Before the days of GPS, sailors used the heavens to navigate, and some still do today. Stars, celestial bodies, signs of the Zodiac, constellations, and galaxies make effective Boat Names for new owners. Also, you could use your own star sign or the signs that are associated with the launch date of your boat. Or you could name it after a god to suit the style of your boat.

Boat Names that use Birthplaces or Locations

Do you have an imported boat from a faraway place, a country or city you would like to sail to and one-day call home or a favourite beach with good memories? Use this location to inspire the name of your boat. For example, if you’re Irish you could call her Shamrock.

You could select a name from the relevant ethnic background of your location, such as using the indigenous name of your homeport rather than the English version. Does your homeport have an indigenous name? Use that instead of the English version. Or translate a word associated with your boat into the indigenous language of your homeport. For example:

PINDARI – Aborigine for happiness.
NANGARA – meaning “dreaming”.
KUNGA WONGA – meaning “three canoes” which would be a good name for a Trimaran.

Boat Names from Foreign Languages

Use a short phrase or saying from a foreign language that’s meaningful to you. Whether it’s your personal mantra, a description of your personality or boat, or associated with your vessel’s homeport – anything goes. Just keep in mind that simplicity is the key. Remember how we talked about radio communications at the start of this e-Book? I’m sure we’ve all seen this one a few times CARPE DIEM: Latin – Seize the day.

Long, overly complicated names may get you in trouble later on. A few examples:

Multi-Hulls

Catamarans

Here are some examples of names specifically meant for twin-hull vessels using a play on words and feline terms to create a fun name for Catamarans.

Trimarans

For obvious reasons, typical trimaran names come with referral to a trio in one form or another. Another popular way of forming trimaran names is to use bird references. To make it a bit more original, think about using the key features of a trimaran (fast, exciting, light) to create a name through puns and sayings.

Lifestyle

The cruising lifestyle has long been associated with adventure, discovery, escapism, self-sufficiency, hunter-gatherers, making magic memories and the almost spiritual freedom of being one with the elements; wind, sun and the ocean. The names in this section describe this lifestyle with known sayings and slang, and perhaps the individual circumstances or emotions which lead us to follow that special dream based on the sea. For example “The Good Life.”

Funny Boat Names

Do you just want to make people laugh as they walk by your boat? Then the funny boat name is for you! Create clever puns by merging nautical, fishing and lifestyle-related terms to come up with a unique name to suit you as well as your boat and send people on their way a little happier. Pier Pressure is seen quite often. Here are some of the funniest ever, including funny names for bass boats

Using Speed can be cool

Speed and the sport of racing mean thrills, spills, heat, adrenaline-pumping challenges and excitement.

Going Fishing?

Fishermen, whether fishing for a hobby or a profession, take fishing seriously.

Therefore, the most passionate enthusiast will enjoy almost anything related to their sport, including the naming of their boats.

Dinghies & Small or Cute Crafts

Most dinghies are cunning escape artists. Giving them a name won’t cure them of this annoying habit, but it will make them easier to find and perhaps less likely to be stolen. Use this escapism as an inspiration for your dinghy’s name, make a reference to it’s size, hull material or if you have a particularly strong outboard on the back, make a reference to its speed.

Connecting your mothership to it’s tender by name is guaranteed to attract attention anywhere!

You could use a name for your mother vessel that indicates a larger size such as MAGNITUDE and use a synonym for your dinghy that means the opposite, such as MINITUDE.

Another option, to refer back to a previous idea, is to name the mother vessel after your wife and the tender after your child.

Design your own Boat Names
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Use our boat name design generator to try out different designs to see what yours could look like.

FAQs

How do you come up with a boat name?

Ultimately, the best way to name your boat is by determining what is most suitable to you and your personality. By using the above techniques as well as our boat name design generator you’re sure to find something perfect.

What’s a good boat name?

Again, this will depend on factors such as your personality, how you’ll be using your boat and the important people in your life. Have a read through our guide above to find some handy tips and tricks to narrow down the possibilities for you.

Can I name my boat anything?

When naming your boat it’s best to keep it short and easy to understand for times when you may need to say it over the radio. If you’re registering your boat name nationwide then you’ll also need to ensure that no other boat already has the same name.