Make a big splash at the marina with these clever, cool and inspired boat names
100+ Clever Boat Names for a High-Seas Adventure (and a Few Laughs)
Updated on Jun. 10, 2025
Humans have been traveling by boat ever since our ancestors began using tools to carve canoe-like vessels at least 10,000 years ago. It’s in our nature to name things that we value, so at some point we started naming those boats, too. We’ll never know exactly when our ancestors began the practice, but it’s safe to say that boat names have been a thing for thousands of years.
In the beginning, the best names for boats were those honoring deities that ensured safe travels. These days, the process is far more whimsical, as modern boat names are often meant to amuse. You’re more likely to see pop-culture references, hobbies and beach puns than the immortals.
Reader’s Digest understands the importance of sharp-witted wordplay when you’re out on the water. Ahead, you’ll find more than 100 clever boat names for your craft. But choose carefully: It’s bad luck to change a boat name without performing elaborate rituals to appease the seas and the four winds. So choose a boat name that floats your boat—and isn’t just a fleeting fancy.
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How do you pick a boat name?
The best boat name is one that speaks to the heart of the captain—you! Your boat name could reference your craft’s size, color or style, or honor a loved one. It could draw attention to your interests, bucket-list destinations or an inside joke. Whatever you choose, boat names work best when they’re meaningful to you.
Boats are traditionally called she and her, so boat names skew female, too. Many boats have been named after mythological goddesses, family members, princesses, queens and other female trailblazers. One note: Unless your boat requires registration under federal or state law, you don’t have to name it, though it’s considered good practice to do so. Plus, it’s fun to have a boat name!
What words can’t be included in a boat name?
The most important thing to avoid in a boat name is any word that suggests you need assistance at sea. So if you’re a Beatles fan, you can’t name your boat “Help!” Same thing with ABBA’s “SOS.” Steer clear of anything obscene, although cheeky innuendo is perfectly fine. The United States Coast Guard says you need to use 33 or fewer letters and numbers, so no Prince-like symbols, either.
There’s no rule about naming your boat the same thing as another boat, which is good, because there are only so many wine puns to choose from. But the coolest and most creatively satisfying boat names veer toward the personal. Without further ado, here are some funny, clever and downright silly boat names to consider for your vessel.
Funny boat names
- Sail-acious
- Sea-duction
- Sea-renity Now (especially on point for fans of Seinfeld)
- Sea-rendipity
- Knot on Call
- Go Knots
- Do or Do Knot (Star Wars fans might enjoy this one)
- Let Sea
- Sea NB Scene
- Poseid Ourselves
- Poseid the Point
- Ten Acid Tee
- Ocean Spray
- Whale I Never
- The Princess of Whales
- Its Aboat Time
- Wake Up Call
Fishing boat names
- Baited Breath
- Fishful Thinking
- Not My First Rod-eo
- The Andrea Dory
- Reel Life
- The Reel World
- The Reel McCoy
- Fish Aisle Ends
- Gone Fission (best for a retired scientist)
- Her-ring Bearer
- Fishin’ Chips
- The I.M. Floundering
- Tuna Me Out
- Good Tuna You
- Playing Catch Up
- The Go Fish
- The Codfather
- Alba Core
- The Queen Elizabass
Small boat names
- It’s Personal
- Yacht-Zee
- Yachtingham Palace
- Rowbie (for a rowboat)
- Starter Boat
- Small Wonder
- The Dilly Bar (ironic shoutout to the superyacht Dilbar)
- Yak (for a kayak)
- Kaia (also for a kayak)
- Sparky
- Jason Biggs
- Biggie Smalls
- MS Canoodle
- Sea-more
- Nice Mussels
- Pesse (the oldest boat ever discovered by archeologists)
- Tippecanoe
- Dinky Dinghy
- Water Bear
Boat names inspired by pop culture
- Slice of Life (Dexter’s boat on HBO’s Dexter)
- SS Minnow (the boat from Gilligan’s Island)
- The Malteaser Falcon (inspired by The Maltese Falcon)
- The Darjeeling Express (from the movie of the same name)
- The Life Aquatic (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou)
- 100% Orcanic (inspired by Quint’s ship, the Orca, in Jaws)
- All About That Bass (inspired by the Meghan Trainor song)
- Bass-ic Training (after the 1985 comedy Basic Training)
- Elefino (a Bojack Horseman reference)
- The Wanderer (the boat from the film Captain Ron)
- Solandge (the megayacht from Succession)
- The Nemo (after Finding Nemo)
- Happy Days (after the 1970s television show)
- Happy Daze
- Baits Motel (inspired by Psycho … though with a pun-derful spelling)
Boat names inspired by books
- The Odyssey
- Scylla Whette (pronounced “silhouette” and inspired by The Odyssey)
- Naked Lunch
- The Titus (the boat from Swiss Family Robinson)
- The Pequod (the boat from Moby Dick)
- Nautical Us (after the boat in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Nautilus)
- The Nan-Sea Drew
- The Captain Hook
- Gone with the Wind
- Seabiscuit
- Sea This Kit (after Seabiscuit)
- Argo (the ship in Jason and the Argonauts)
- Bird (the yacht from The Talented Mr. Ripley)
- Daisy Buchanan (after the character in The Great Gatsby)
- The Lady Brett (after the character in The Sun Also Rises)
- Hermione Granger (after the Harry Potter character)
- Mainsail and Gretel (inspired by Hansel and Gretel)
Yacht names
- Liquid Assets
- Bankrupt Sea
- The Nest Egg
- Going 4 Broke
- Best in Show
- A Loan Again
- Joyride
- Lady Moana
- Sh-Azzam (inspired by Azzam, a superyacht)
- Eclipsed (inspired by Eclipse, a superyacht)
- The Serena (inspired by Serene, a superyacht)
- Serena T (also inspired by Serene)
- Dilbert (after superyacht Dilbar)
- Rising Son (after superyacht Rising Sun)
- Sailing Yacht B (inspired by the Philippe Stark–designed Sailing Yacht A)
So what are you going to name your seafaring vessel? Whether you lean into fish puns or pull from pop culture, you’re sure to make a splash.
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Sources:
- Bloomington Historical Society: “Native American Dugout Canoes”
- Discover Boating: “Renaming a Boat: The Dos and Don’ts”
- Imperial War Museums: “Why do ships have a gender?”
- Boat U.S.: “Boat Documentation Requirements”
