Of course, sometimes naming your boat takes a turn for the worse, and goes down something of a blue road. Here are some of the more dirty-sounding boat names we’ve come across over the years:

1. The Filthy Whore. This one, of course, reflects the “salty” nature of the sea. One particular variation we’ve come across includes the “Filthy Oar.” By far, this seems to be the most common dirty boat name out there.
2. Reel Hooker. No, this isn’t the name of a new reality show on Fox. This was a boat belonging to a fishing hobbyist.
3. Tits Up. We can only assume that the owner of this boat has had issues keeping the boat from capsizing.
4. Spreader Boots. We’re not really sure what this one has to do with boating at all, but we like it.
5. Hot Ruddered Bum. This one is only dirty if you assume that the owner of the boat is gainfully employed.
6. Four Play. We’re still not sure what the significance of “Four” is in this boat. Perhaps the owner has a “One Play,” “Two Play” and “Three Play” at home.
7. Slightly Crewed. This one is only a little bit dirty.
8. The Wet Dream. Some folks would go with “Dreamboat.” This particular boat owner decided to go a different direction with it.
9. Nauti-lust. As opposed to “nice lust.”
10. Ho-Ma-Way. Now stop that. Just because the word “ho” is in the title doesn’t mean this one is dirty. Read it out loud, you’ll see what we mean.

Photo via gerriet

The following names represent the names most commonly purchased via that company’s vinyl boat lettering products. Obviously, these change from one year to the next, so this list is the top from 2009:

1. Second Wind. This is a perennial favorite boat name. Obviously, this name is most popular on boats that have sails, and not nearly as popular for motorboats.
2. Seas the Day. This play on words has been popular for a while. It peaked back in the late 1980s with the release of the Robin Williams classic movie, Dead Poets Society.
3. Lazy Daze. Boating is all about relaxation, and this name just about sums it up for many boat owners.
4. Jolly Roger. Obviously more pirates tend to own boats than ninjas, otherwise #4 would probably be “Instant Death.” Of course, “death” isn’t generally one of boaters’ favorite words in general.
5. Bail Out. Sometimes, politics even makes it to the boating world.
6. On the Rocks. Forget messages about not drinking or boating and driving, this boat name is a little scary. Either it’s talking about boating while drinking or about crashing the boat. Perhaps it’s both.
7. Pegasus. This one is a bit surprising. If it had come out after this year’s Clash of the Titans, it might make more sense. For some reason, a large number of boaters compare their boats to the mythological winged horse.
8. Serenity Now. Whether this refers to the Seinfeld episode or whether people just like the sound of it isn’t certain.
9. Namaste. That’s a little surprising. Apparently, a large number of people feel the need to label their boat parts. I’m assuming these people walk around with a labeler putting stickers on things all day long.
10. Comfortably Numb. Pink Floyd lives!

Photo via VeryBadLady

Your boat name tells a lot about you and about your boat. Take, for example, these famous boat names:

• Privacy. Tiger Woods named his yacht “Privacy.” I assume that we have the paparazzi to thank for this one. Keep in mind that he bought the boat in March, 2006, and it’s rumored that some of his now-famous liaisons may have occurred on the yacht.
• ORCA. The ORCA was the boat captained by Quint in the movie Jaws. Quint (Robert Shaw was the masterful actor who played the character) named his boat for the one creature in nature that hunts sharks (besides human beings). An “Orca” is also known as a “killer whale.”
• The Minnow. You don’t need anyone to tell you who captained this boat, or what the name of its first mate was. The name evokes images of a small fish being batted around in a large ocean, much like the ship of the same name. The “tiny ship was tossed,” after all.
• The Beagle. This was the two-mast sloop that, on its second voyage ever, carried scientist Charles Darwin to the Galapagos Islands.
• The Olive. This boat was named by a mighty sailor after his lady friend. If you don’t know who it was, I’ll give you a hint: he really, really likes spinach.
• The Bismarck. This boat, which fired on the British ship the HMS Hood in May of 1941, was named for 19th century German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the man who was in large part responsible for unifying the various German states.
• The Calypso. This was the ship used by Jacques Cousteau as a mobile sea research laboratory. It’s no coincidence that the ship shares the name with an exotic dance, and urban legend suggests that Cousteau was particularly fond of the dance.
• The USS Enterprise. This was the first aircraft carrier in the world powered with nuclear power. It was also the eighth vessel in the United States Navy to have that name.

Photo via thelastminute

Boat Names

The results have been tabulated at Boat US for the ten most popular boat names of 2009. The not so scientific list was assembled by the graphic team at Boat US. They maintain a list of over 8500 names boaters can select from when ordering a name to be put on decals to be affixed to their boat. Here are the top ten selections for 2009.

• Second Wind
• Seas the Day
• Lazy Daze
• Jolly Roger
• Bail Out
• On the Rocks
• Pegasus
• Serenity Now
• Namaste
• Comfortably Numb

Two observations- The name Aquaholics was in the top ten since 2002 but it didn’t appear in 2009. Bail Out is a first time top ten finalist (Boat US has been keeping this list since 1991).

Boat Shows

February is a month for boat shows. In fact, there are no fewer than 44 boat shows in February! Boats will be showcased in St Louis, Miami, Washington D.C., Detroit, Dayton, Duluth, Omaha, Philadelphia and other cities across the country.

Boat Insurance

Make sure you have an adequate amount of boat insurance. Avoid ruining the joy of boating and purchase the best coverage you can afford now matter what kind of vessel you have. There’s no cost for peace of mind. That’s what the right boat insurance provides.

Photo via Akuppa

Naming a boat is an important moment in a boat owner’s life.  It’s much like naming a child, but without the restrictions.  When you name a child, unless you’re Gwyneth Paltrow, you’re kind of relegated to the established cannon of names like Michael or Emily.  But when you’re naming a boat, it becomes something far more personal.

You’ve only got one shot at it.  But what do you want to do with it?  Should it be something witty and fun, or should it be homage to a lost love for family member?  I am certain that there have been many an hour toiled over to the great torment and chagrin of a boat owner… “What do I name my boat?!??!”

In a modest effort to give you a modicum of inspiration, or to perhaps focus the efforts of the proud owners who have yet to name their boats, we’ve provided you with a list of popular boat names.  Some are recent trends of boat names, some are pop culture based, and some are historical references.

THE MOST POPULAR BOAT NAMES OF 2008 – FIELDANDSTREAM.COM

A boat from a movie based off of a Disney ride, that turned into one of the biggest blockbusters ever.

Seas the Day
Summer Daze
Second Chance
Aqua-Holic
Wind Seeker
Dream Weaver
Black Pearl
Hydrotherapy
The Salt Shaker
Sea Quest

This is TOTALLY not the same boat that Bogart and Hepburn hooked up on.

POP CULTURE REFERENCES

Black Pearl – “Pirates of the Caribean”
ORCA – “Jaws”
SS Minnow – “Gilligan’s Island”
The Olive – “Popeye”
Jenny – “Forrest Gump”
Stugots – “The Sopranos”
The Flying Wasp – “Caddyshack”
The Belafonte – “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”
The African Queen

One man, so many boat names.

SONG BASED BOAT NAMES

Shaker of Salt
A Pirate Looks at 40
Son-of-a-son-of-a-sailor – Jimmy Buffet
5 O’Clock Somewhere – Kenny Chesney
Downeaster Alexa – Billy Joel
Edmund Fitzgerald – Gordon Lightfoot

“DEADLIEST CATCH BOAT NAMES”

Deadliest Catch: awesome sailors, awesome boats, awesome boat names

Northwestern
Wizard
Time Bandit
Cornelia Marie
Maverick
Rollo
Farwest Leader
Fierce Allegiance
Early Dawn

"Umm, Captain? Maybe we should do something OTHER than stare at it."

BOAT NAMES IN LITERATURE

The Nautilus – “20,000 Leagues Under  the Sea”
Pequod – “Moby Dick”
Surprise – “Master and Commander”
Red October – “The Hunt for Red October”
Vingalot – “The Silmarillion”

So there you have it.  A nice list of boat names at your disposal.  Take one or make your own, it doesn’t matter.  What matters most is that the name fits the vessel and that you’ve given it with thought and with love.  The best of luck in naming your boat, wishing you fair winds and following seas.