Ship Names

[J.T.B.]

Akagi was part of the Pearl Harbour strike force, but was destroyed by Enterprise's bombers at Midway. Memory Alpha's quote: "The American carrier USS Hornet was also heavily engaged in that action". "That action" was the Battle of Midway of course, not the Pearl Harbor attack.

Right! One of the narratives around Pearl Harbor has always been "At least the carriers weren't there," because they could still go on the offensive even without the battleships. Also I should say, technically Enterprise's planes did not sink Akagi like I said. They did wreck her completely, but Japanese destroyers finally put her down.

The US Pacific carriers on 7 Dec 1941 have been represented well in Trek: Lexington, Saratoga, Yorktown and that other one... In addition to the new Hornet in the Atlantic, there was also Ranger, an undersized dead-end design. I've always thought that was a cool name, but as far as I know never used in Trek. But the second carrier Ranger did play Enterprise CVN-65 in ST4. Lexington and Saratoga were both in that movie, now that I think of it.

I've always really liked the WW2 Japanese carrier striking force names, too:

Akagi = a mountain (originally a battlecruiser name)
Kaga = an historical province (originally a battleship name)
Hiryu = "flying dragon"
Soryu = "green dragon"
Shokaku = "soaring crane"
Zuikaku = "auspicious crane"

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

When I was writing a short fanfic and needed a throwaway name for a ship, I went with Determination.

 

[Shawnster]

Out of universe it's understandable why so many ship names come from US or Western culture and history. In universe., not so much.

It makes more sense to me that a civilization spanning multiple systems and species would name ships based on common themes and ideals those diverse alien cultures could understand. So you get ships named after ideals, values, concepts, etc... That can translate into other languages easily.

Ships like Reliant, Defiant, Discovery, Enterprise, Valiant, Intrepid, Indefatigable, Honor, Hope, Mercy, etc...

Not exciting names, though. But what is in a name?

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Why not name it after a famous Xindi Insectoid ambassador, U.S.S. xKy-pll'Rrrr-vh'hjm'wq'Dz

 

[RobinSpace]

well in universe, The federstion is very Human centric in its operations and ships.

It would be great if some ships were named after famous historic ships of other Aliens or famous Aliens from history.

Like the USS Mot, named after the most famous barber in Bolian history.

 

[Shawnster]

We will sing songs about his ability to perm hair and tame cowlicks.

 

[Sgt_G]

Why not name it after a famous Xindi Insectoid ambassador, U.S.S. xKy-pll'Rrrr-vh'hjm'wq'Dz

Because it hurts the brain just looking at it, let alone trying to figure out how to pronounce it.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

Klingons seem to do okay having ships whose names most folks don't know the meaning of and can barely pronounce.

 

[Arpy]

Because it hurts the brain just looking at it, let alone trying to figure out how to pronounce it.

How do you think "Smith" sounds to the insectoid? If that's the guy's name, whatever the popular human pronounciation, out of respect for his achievements, that's what we're calling the damn ship.

 

[Sgt_G]

How do you think "Smith" sounds to the insectoid? If that's the guy's name, whatever the popular human pronunciation, out of respect for his achievements, that's what we're calling the damn ship.

I don't care how "Smith" sounds to an insectoid, not until you show me one that is reading my stories. And at any rate, I'm sure you can come up with alien words / names that don't look like the cat walked on the keyboard.

 

[Arpy]

I don't care how "Smith" sounds to an insectoid, not until you show me one that is reading my stories. And at any rate, I'm sure you can come up with alien words / names that don't look like the cat walked on the keyboard.

I care about stories that make sense. I prefer alien names that sound easier, but I definitely want more alien names.

The name above is probably popularly pronounced something like Kyper-vijid, and that's not unpronounceable. Also, when in the real world we make first contact with the [unpronouncable], we're going to have to come up with something respectable to call them, or I hope they blow us out of existence.

 

[C57D]

What happens if Insectoid diplomat "C,vnn'a' Ahrxzzt"'s name in Insectoid language actually translates to "Courage" in Federation- common (whatever that is). Do we call the ship by the full Insectoid name or just USS Courage??
Just asking............

 

[Arpy]

What happens if Insectoid diplomat "C,vnn'a' Ahrxzzt"'s name in Insectoid language actually translates to "Courage" in Federation- common (whatever that is). Do we call the ship by the full Insectoid name or just USS Courage??
Just asking............

If it's the quality of courage, and not a person or ship/etc being honored, then I'd imagine it reverts to Federation Standard.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I suppose some ships might have nicknames.

 

[Kevman7987]

I know it to be the opposite of Federation ideals, but I've always wanted them to have some ships with more ominous names:

USS Devastator
USS Nightmare
USS Iron Fist
USS Montezuma's Revenge

 

[retroenzo]

What happens if Insectoid diplomat "C,vnn'a' Ahrxzzt"'s name in Insectoid language actually translates to "Courage" in Federation- common (whatever that is). Do we call the ship by the full Insectoid name or just USS Courage??
Just asking............

You call it the USS Courage. The Insectoid diplomat would see the USS C,vnn'a' Ahrxzzt through the Universal Translator.

 

[C57D]

You call it the USS Courage. The Insectoid diplomat would see the USS C,vnn'a' Ahrxzzt through the Universal Translator.

That would be my understanding also, hence the question. So maybe the Human sounding USS Intrepid and USS Constitution (etc) are really named after honoured alien names and alien concepts but what we hear are the UT equivalent??

 

[C57D]

I know it to be the opposite of Federation ideals, but I've always wanted them to have some ships with more ominous names:

USS Devastator
USS Nightmare
USS Iron Fist
USS Montezuma's Revenge

Mostly great names for MU or Klingon ships I would have thought?

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

So maybe the Human sounding USS Intrepid and USS Constitution (etc) are really named after honoured alien names and alien concepts but what we hear are the UT equivalent??

The Intrepid may be whatever that term means in Vulcan, or something slightly less emotion-evoking. You have to remember that not all races value the same qualities or the connotations of a specific word. So Intrepid to her Vulcan crew might be something closer to Impervious or Stoic.

Is there a written word UT function as well that makes your eyes see your language when a word is written in English?

 

[C57D]

Totally agree that english words may have a different connotation to other sapient races. However we also don't know what Fed Standard is, or what race/s its concepts and grammar are based on.
Yeah I also agree the the alien word would need to be spelt on the ship in that tongue. However a crew not of that race might substitute a Fed Standard word for convenience,