# Ship names in Star Trek **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2001, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ship-names-in-star-trek/74523 "2001-08-01T19:50:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ship-names-in-star-trek/74523/21 "2001-08-02T19:34:35Z")
I doubt very much there wiil be a _USS Gray Davis._ If there was, it would be under-powered! ---
**Author:** ![FarmerOak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@FarmerOak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FarmerOak)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ship-names-in-star-trek/74523/22 "2001-08-02T20:27:06Z")
And at least one ship, the U.S.S. _Bozeman_, was specifically named for one of the producers’ hometown. You will, of course, remember this as the ship commanded by Captain Frasier Crane. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ship-names-in-star-trek/74523/23 "2001-08-03T00:31:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by the coffeehood \* > \*\*Original series art director Matt Jefferies is reported to have said that he chose the “1701” number because it was legible from a distance. \*\* Not true. The ‘1701’ was the modelmakers home address. - I’m trying to provide a cite for that comment but I’m not up to the task of wading through the bazillion and two Star Trek sites out there. About all I can offer you is the fact that I saw it explained on a show about a year ago. I remember being struct that the reason was so benign. \*Not that the ideas that float about on this topic aren’t funny to read about. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ship-names-in-star-trek/74523/24 "2001-08-03T03:08:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FarmerOak \* > \*\*And at least one ship, the U.S.S. _Bozeman_, was specifically named for one of the producers’ hometown. > > You will, of course, remember this as the ship commanded by Captain Frasier Crane. \*\* When that episode aired, the Captain’s name was actually Batesman. So he was Batesman on the Bozeman. My friends and I speculated on if, when on shore leave, he was a boatman, a batsman, or a bass man. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FarmerOak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@FarmerOak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FarmerOak)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ship-names-in-star-trek/74523/25 "2001-08-03T05:53:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GuanoLad \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by FarmerOak \* > > \*\*And at least one ship, the U.S.S. _Bozeman_, was specifically named for one of the producers’ hometown. > > > > You will, of course, remember this as the ship commanded by Captain Frasier Crane. \*\* > > When that episode aired, the Captain’s name was actually Batesman. So he was Batesman on the Bozeman. > > My friends and I speculated on if, when on shore leave, he was a boatman, a batsman, or a bass man. 😃 \*\* Close… it was Morgan Bateson. ---
**Author:** ![Guy\_Propski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5e9695/32.png) [@Guy\_Propski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Propski)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ship-names-in-star-trek/74523/26 "2001-08-03T12:29:30Z")
I have to prove my nerdness here by providing some more useless facts. Science vessels are generally named after scientists; medical ships are generally named after famous doctors and medical scientists (like the USS Pasteur). Shuttlecraft are generally named after astronomers (the Galileo and the El-Baz) or physicists (the Feynman). Runabouts, as noted above, are named after Earth rivers. This seems to be at the discretion of the captain; Captain Sisko is seen naming one in an episode of “Deep Space Nine.” I believe the reason for the Earth-centric naming system is because almost all starships are constructed near Earth (in orbit around Mars). ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2001, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ship-names-in-star-trek/74523/27 "2001-08-03T13:07:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guy Propski \* > \*\*\ I believe the reason for the Earth-centric naming system is because almost all starships are constructed near Earth (in orbit around Mars). \*\* I have another hypothesis, we are only seeing a small (Terran) portion of Starfleet. Wouldn’t it make sense that other member races would name their ships according to their customs ? Although I would have to note also the anglocentric tendency of ship names. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ship-names-in-star-trek/74523.md?page=1)