# An unfortunate ship name **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 8, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194 "2018-11-08T15:42:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/1 "2018-11-08T15:42:53Z")
At the weekend I passed the harbour. Docked was a ship - an offshore supply vessel - with a most unfortunate name: [NAO POWER](https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:201058/mmsi:235101811/imo:9651890/vessel:NAO_POWER). 🙂 NAI is Nordic American Offshore, of course, but the homophone is unfortunate, to say the least. And surely they want MOAH POWER! ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/2 "2018-11-08T15:49:14Z")
I don’t get it. Isn’t it pronounced “Now Power”? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/3 "2018-11-08T16:15:45Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I don’t get it. > > Isn’t it pronounced “Now Power”? Maybe it’s “No Power”? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/4 "2018-11-08T17:06:38Z")
It doesn’t make sense to me either. In English, “nao” would be pronounced close to “now,” not “no.” (As far as I know, the OP is not Portuguese, in which â€œĂ±ao” means “no.”) ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/5 "2018-11-08T17:09:56Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I don’t get it. > > Isn’t it pronounced “Now Power”? (Or “En Ay Oh Power”, for that matter
 I have no idea.) ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/6 "2018-11-08T17:46:52Z")
Come on, people! It’s pronounced “no power”, sideways. It’s a weak joke, but not THAT bad. Could have been the NAO Voyager, or the NAO Yusimi (and it’s sister ship, NAO U’dont), or the NAO Unno. (At least it wasn’t [Powergenitalia.com](http://Powergenitalia.com).) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/7 "2018-11-08T17:49:58Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Come on, people! It’s pronounced “no power”, sideways. It’s a weak joke, but not THAT bad. That’s nao so funny. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/8 "2018-11-08T17:51:02Z")
It works as “no” if you imagine Christopher Walken saying it. “WOW! There’s nao power!” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/9 "2018-11-08T20:06:50Z")
Nothing compares to [Boaty McBoatface.](https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/06/28/534744971/boaty-mcboatface-makes-its-triumphant-return-hauling-unprecedented-data) Regards, Shodan McShodanFace ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/10 "2018-11-08T20:20:15Z")
What an interesting looking vessel. I wonder how it would handle a heavy sea. Even moderately heavy. It sort of looks like it’s designed to plow through waves, not ride them. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/11 "2018-11-08T20:22:11Z")
A bad boat name would be Watery Death Trap. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/12 "2018-11-08T20:29:12Z")
Worse would be Sinky McSinkface. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/13 "2018-11-08T20:30:34Z")
HMS Drowning Is The Least Of Your Worries ---
**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/14 "2018-11-09T03:50:28Z")
I used to keep track of ships visiting our port on [marinetraffic.com](http://marinetraffic.com), which allows you to go anywhere in the world and see which ships are in what ports. Sometimes I’d wander the globe looking for unusual commercial ship names. I think the most charming yet odd ones must come from Asian roots. Here are some that I’ve found: First 1 (It had to be first, of course.) Maiden Voyage (Did they only sail it once?) Mild Waltz (Maybe that’s what it feels like when going though a big storm?) Great Mind Great Intelligence Family Island Fairy Island Dream Island (These are freighters, not Disney cruise ships!) Morning Cloud Inspiration Lake Basic Pioneer Flipper Dodo Stealth II (Makes me a little nervous to know it’s a chemical/oil tanker.) Turmoil (Another oil/chemical tanker that scares me a little.) Ever Smile Ever Dainty (a large container ship.) Skippin’ Sue Power Ranger And the now apparently defunct: Titan Uranus. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/15 "2018-11-09T14:32:30Z")
The Royal Navy has all those beat, with ships like [HMS Cockchafer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cockchafer_(1915)) [HMS Gay Bruiser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Gay_Bruiser_(P1044)) [HMS Spanker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Spanker) [HMS Fairy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Fairy) [HMS Tiptoe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Tiptoe_(P332)) etc. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/16 "2018-11-09T15:14:46Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > The Royal Navy has all those beat, with ships like > > [HMS Cockchafer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cockchafer_(1915)) > [HMS Gay Bruiser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Gay_Bruiser_(P1044)) > [HMS Spanker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Spanker) > [HMS Fairy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Fairy) > [HMS Tiptoe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Tiptoe_(P332)) > > etc. Even the ones that don’t invoke memories of “rum, sodomy and the lash” are odd. Take the HMS Indefatigable. Six syllables! “What ship did you serve on?” “HMS In de fat a ble, the Indi fat a gable, the in da fate a ble
uh the Indy. You?” “[USS Bone Hommy Richard.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bonhomme_Richard_(LHD-6))” ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/17 "2018-11-09T16:31:33Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > The Royal Navy has all those beat, with ships like > > [HMS Gay Bruiser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Gay_Bruiser_(P1044))
 In fact, they had an entire [Gay class of boats.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay-class_patrol_boat) > [@Wikipedia](#): > > All were named after types of soldiers or military or related figures, prefixed with ‘Gay’. > 
 > The Gays were the last petrol powered warships to be built for the Royal Navy. Ahem. “The Gays?” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/18 "2018-11-09T16:37:48Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Worse would be Sinky McSinkface. In 1941, Admiral Kimmel was commander in chief of the U.S. naval fleet. His title was expressed in the acronym CINCUS. After Pearl Harbor his replacement, Admiral Ernest King decided that CINCUS sounded like a bad joke and changed it to COMINCH. True story. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/19 "2018-11-10T17:39:41Z")
[A 1928 article](http://www.archive.org/stream/radiobroadcast13gardrich#page/150/mode/1up/) in _Radio Broadcast_ magazine claimed that the name of a ship that burned off the coast of Peru in 1919 was _Firewood_. Alas, when I did a little more research this turned out to be too good to be true–the ship was actually named _Firwood_. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194/20 "2018-11-10T20:34:36Z")
In 1999 I was sailing with friends in the Caribbean. We moored in some bay. In the night, our skipper did a routine check, and noticed another boat moored nearby was in a very different place than an hour before – she was poorly anchored, and the wind was blowing her toward the beach, narrowly missing crashing into our boat (and others). Our skipper managed to wake up the folks on the other boat before any damage occurred. The name of the poorly anchored boat? _Sea Dragon._ (Get it? Draggin’?) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-ship-name/824194.md?page=2)