Anyone have ideas for how they can name starships that differentiates them from the Trek starship names we're used to?
Starship Naming Schemes for a new Sci-Fi universe
- Thread starter Matthew Raymond
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In Trek, we'll usually hear of the notable ships, which tend to be the bigger name inventors, astronomers, scientific names, astronauts or historic ship names.
My thinking is like what you've seen in The Orville: names for people involved in flight, but not the big names. Names that still should be immortalized from their contributions to flight, astronomy, or names of ships that served but not the ships of the line.
My thinking is like what you've seen in The Orville: names for people involved in flight, but not the big names. Names that still should be immortalized from their contributions to flight, astronomy, or names of ships that served but not the ships of the line.
Major cities of member planets?
You could have the USS Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, USA, Earth) serving alongside the USS Kevington (Primary Kevnation, United Kevs of Kevmerica, Kevman IV).
You could have the USS Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, USA, Earth) serving alongside the USS Kevington (Primary Kevnation, United Kevs of Kevmerica, Kevman IV).
I was actually thinking that in a case where the ships had their own AIs, they'd actually name themselves. So you'd occasionally get silly names like "USS CanOWhoopAss" or "USS Korrasami" from the more mischievous AIs.
@Nerys Myk, I had a similar idea, but it feels like I've seen this done before...
As well as runabouts named after rivers. I think some ships were named after geographical locations as well.
Many U.S. Navy submarines are named after states, so there is some precedent for that.
They've use author names in Trek, IIRC but not as a singular naming scheme. Just scattered about.
Think about the culture/society you're portraying. What sorts of things or people would be important to them? What sorts of tradition does your culture/society have in regard to naming ships (or other vehicles)? Are there any taboos, superstitions or religious strictures? Deciding these sorts of things will also help you flesh-out your characters and give them some depth.
Be imaginative and make it yours.
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A few Culture ship names....a whole lot more interesting and imaginative!
alling Outside The Normal Moral Constraints
Me, I'm Counting
No More Mr Nice Guy
Liveware Problem
Yes, I Am Carrying A Big Stick
Sleeper Service
A Fine Disregard for Awkward Facts
Lightly Seared on the Reality Grill
Just Read the Instructions; So Much for Subtlety
Funny, It Worked Last Time…
Profit Margin
Irregular Apocalypse
Kiss my Ass
Youthful Indiscretion
Size Isn't Everything
Synchronize Your Dogmas
Don't Try This At Home
It's My Party And I'll Sing If I Want To
Advanced Case Of Chronic Patheticism
Conventional Wisdom
Killing Time
Mistake Not ...
Very Little Gravitas Indeed
Someone Else's Problem
Fate Amenable To Change
Caconym
God Told Me To Do It
You Naughty Monsters
Frank Exchange of Views
alling Outside The Normal Moral Constraints
Me, I'm Counting
No More Mr Nice Guy
Liveware Problem
Yes, I Am Carrying A Big Stick
Sleeper Service
A Fine Disregard for Awkward Facts
Lightly Seared on the Reality Grill
Just Read the Instructions; So Much for Subtlety
Funny, It Worked Last Time…
Profit Margin
Irregular Apocalypse
Kiss my Ass
Youthful Indiscretion
Size Isn't Everything
Synchronize Your Dogmas
Don't Try This At Home
It's My Party And I'll Sing If I Want To
Advanced Case Of Chronic Patheticism
Conventional Wisdom
Killing Time
Mistake Not ...
Very Little Gravitas Indeed
Someone Else's Problem
Fate Amenable To Change
Caconym
God Told Me To Do It
You Naughty Monsters
Frank Exchange of Views
@Mysterion, that works great at the World-State level, where the world is a colony founded on specific principles or beliefs. For an alliance of worlds based on different philosophies and beliefs, it becomes more complicated, because a name could come from any of those societies. In fact, in the future, there may be far fewer inhibitions with regards to naming ships.
@Ridcully, the USS Naughty Monster sounds good to me, but her and the USS Killing Time sound like they might be rivals!
@Ridcully, the USS Naughty Monster sounds good to me, but her and the USS Killing Time sound like they might be rivals!
Fair 'nuff. Same considerations, though, just at a more "macro" sort of level. As all those various philosophies and beliefs come together to form your alliance that in of it self will shape and pruduce produce a new level of culture and tradition that would guide the naming of ships and so forth.
The freighters in Silent Running are (for the most part) named for US national parks.
Valley Forge
Berkshire
Sequoia
Yellowstone
Acadia
Blue Ridge
Glacier
Mojave
Valley Forge
Berkshire
Sequoia
Yellowstone
Acadia
Blue Ridge
Glacier
Mojave
Negative Equity
Axolotl
Echo
Fugue
Librium
Omerta
Precarious
Querencia
Reluctant
Sundown
Sublime
The Gloaming
Urchin
Vesper
Yankee Clipper
Zebulon
Zephyr
http://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/g717/best-boat-names-from-a-to-z/
Axolotl
Echo
Fugue
Librium
Omerta
Precarious
Querencia
Reluctant
Sundown
Sublime
The Gloaming
Urchin
Vesper
Yankee Clipper
Zebulon
Zephyr
http://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/g717/best-boat-names-from-a-to-z/
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Honestly, I really don't like Culture (and now SpaceX) way of naming ships.
(YMMV)
Now that I think about it, in my particular situation, all the ships at the Alliance level are basically self-named, so nomenclature doesn't matter. The name of each ship is an extension of the characterization of the ship's AI. For example, if a ship likes Frank Herbert, it might name itself the U.S.S. Muad'Dib.Honestly, I really don't like Culture (and now SpaceX) way of naming ships.
SF characters might be fun
USS John Carter
USS Valentine Michael Smith
USS Susan Calvin
USS Philaes Fogg
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