Choosing a good name for a sailboat or powerboat.

Boat names are as varied as the kinds of boat owners.  Walking along the docks of any marina, whether it be for sailboats or powerboats you can often tell who owns a boat by the name they chose.

The name “Bull Market” probably indicates that a stockbroker owns the boat. “Naughtycal” might indicate a playboy or dirty old man.  “Real Escape” is probably owned by a real estate professional.

Often times your boat name is permanently recorded somewhere and not easy to change. Sailors have always considered changing a boat’s name an unlucky act so it is probably wise to come up with a good one from the start and stick with it.

Good boat names should reflect your love of the sea, a romantic notion, timeless concepts, etc.

Try to imagine your boat being named a given name fifty or a hundred years ago. Catchphrases from TV shows or lyrics from songs come and go.  When your boat is hopefully still afloat a couple decades later no one may understand a boat name derived from pop culture.

How can you pick a boat name that won’t embarrass you or one you will end up regretting?

One way to pick a boat name is to visit your local library and pour over books of all kinds.  You may find a good boat name in another language or in ancient literature. Choose ones that convey good luck as opposed to tragic figures and names. Titanic might be a boat name to avoid.

Also, if you plan on voyaging abroad make sure the name you choose does not have a negative meaning in another language or convey the wrong message.

Ultimately when choosing a good boat name it should tastefully reflect your personality or the personality you would want your boat to have should it be animate.  It could convey your love of the sport of boating or sailing, nature, the ocean or the good life.

Think over the boat name you have chosen for a few days before ordering the stick on vinyl letters or commissioning a painter to emblazon your transom with it. Otherwise you just might regret it later.

For some great boat name ideas see the following book:

Book: Boat Names