Editing Encyclopedia:Naming conventions (ships)

{{for-text|instructions on how to make ship names appear in italics in article titles|{{tlx|Infobox ship begin}}}}
{{For|the similarly named article|United States ship naming conventions}}
{{Subcat guideline|naming convention|Ships|WP:NCS|WP:NC-SHIP|WP:NC-SHIPS|WP:SHIPNAME|WP:NCSHIP}}

{{Wikipedia:WikiProject Ships/sidebar}}
This guideline describes Wikipedia's conventions for naming articles about ships and for referring to ships in the body of articles. See [[Wikipedia:Article titles]] for more general naming conventions.  See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Ships|WikiProject Ships]] for more guidance on writing articles about ships.

Ships share names with people, places, animals and other things. Articles about ships must be named to distinguish them from other similarly-named ships, as well as from other things with which they share a name.

==Naming articles about civilian ships==
{{for|a full list of ship prefixes|Ship prefix}}

Civilian ship articles should follow standard [[Wikipedia:Article titles|Wikipedia naming conventions]]. These rules apply to named boats and yachts as well as to ships.

===Optional prefix===
{{shortcut|WP:PREFIXSHIP|WP:SHIPPREFIX}}

A typical civilian ship article name has the following form: <optional prefix> <''italicized name''> <(optional disambiguation)><ref name="DAB"/>

An article about a ship not known to have a prefix should use only the ship's name, if that name is unambiguous:
* ''{{xt|[[Niña]]}}'' 

Since the optional prefix is, in fact, ''optional'', it may be omitted for ships with unambiguous names even when common prefixes (e.g. MS or MV) are sometimes used for them in other sources:
* ''{{xt|[[Celebrity Equinox]]}}'' instead of {{!xt|[[MV Celebrity Equinox|MV ''Celebrity Equinox'']]}}

However, if a ship is best known in combination with a [[ship prefix]], include the prefix in the article name. Use of the prefix can also provide [[Help:Disambiguation|disambiguation]]:
* {{xt|{{SS|John W. Brown}}}} compared to {{xt|[[John W. Brown]]}}
* {{xt|[[PS Waverley|PS ''Waverley'']]}} compared to {{xt|[[Waverley]]}}

Do not use punctuation within the ship prefix:
* {{xt|MV ''Dunedin Star''}} not {{!xt|M/V ''Dunedin Star''}}
* {{xt|SS ''Christopher Columbus''}} not {{!xt|S.S. ''Christopher Columbus''}}

If a ship has had more than one prefix during its lifetime, choose the best-known for the article and create a [[Help:Redirect|redirect]] from the other prefixed names:
* {{xt|{{RMS|Olympic}}}} should have a redirect from {{xt|{{SS|Olympic}}}}

===Italicized name===
Ship names are always italicized:
* {{xt|''Niña''}}, not {{!xt|Niña}}

===Optional disambiguation===
When the name is ambiguous, append disambiguation information in parentheses.

* {{xt|[[Santa María (ship)|''Santa María'' (ship)]]}} rather than {{xt|''[[Santa María]]''}} 

The date of launching should be used if there are several ships with the same name. Sometimes vessels will share a launch date as well as a name. In that case adding the place of launch is necessary:

*{{ship||Mary|1806 ship}}	
*{{ship||Mary|1811 Bideford ship}}
*{{ship||Mary|1811 Ipswich ship}}

==Naming articles about military ships==
{{for|a full list of ship prefixes|Ship prefix}}

Military ship articles should follow standard [[Wikipedia:Article titles|Wikipedia naming conventions]]. These rules apply to both named and unnamed vessels.

A typical military ship article name has the following form: <prefix> <''italicized name''> <(hull or pennant number or disambiguation)><ref name="DAB">If there is only one ship of the name, it is wrong to disambiguate, per [[WP:PRECISE]].</ref>

Many military ships and boats were not named and are known only by their hull or pennant number (see §[[#Ships with hull number only|Ships with hull number only]]).

Some navies don't use standard ship prefixes (see §[[#Ships from navies without ship prefixes|Ships from navies without ship prefixes]]).

===Prefix===
For ships of navies that have standard [[ship prefix]]es, use the prefix in the article name:
* {{xt|{{USS|Monitor}}}}
* {{xt|{{HMS|Queen Mary}}}}
* {{xt|{{SMS|Seydlitz}}}}

Do not use punctuation within the ship prefix:
* {{xt|USS ''Monitor''}}, not {{!xt|U.S.S. ''Monitor''}}

Do not use the hull classification symbol as a prefix:
* {{xt|USS ''Nimitz''}}, not {{!xt|CVN ''Nimitz''}}

Do not use prefixes that predate their use, even though some authors sometimes "backdate" prefixes in this way. In particular, do not use the HMS prefix for English ships from before 1660. The term "His Majesty's Ship" was introduced around 1660 and was routinely abbreviated HMS from about 1780 onwards:
* {{xt|''Henry Grace à Dieu''}}, not {{!xt|HMS ''Henry Grace à Dieu''}}.

===Italicized name===
Ship names are always italicized:
* {{xt|HMS ''Dreadnought''}}, not {{!xt|HMS Dreadnought}}

===Hull or pennant number or disambiguation===
{{nobold |See §[[#Disambiguating ships with the same name|Disambiguating ships with the same name]].}}
For an article about a modern-day ship, include the ship's hull number (US Navy [[hull classification symbol]]) or [[pennant number]]s (Royal Navy, and many European and Commonwealth navies), if it is available, sufficiently unique, and well known:<ref name="DAB"/>
* {{xt|{{USCGC|Alert|WMEC-127}}}} and {{xt|{{USCGC|Alert|WMEC-630}}}} (hull number disambiguation)
* {{xt|{{HMS|Illustrious|R87}}}} and {{xt|{{HMS|Illustrious|R06}}}} (pennant number disambiguation)
* {{xt|{{HMS|Royal Scotsman}}}} (only one ship of the name – requires no disambiguation)

For a ship that does not have a hull and pennant number, and especially when more than one ship had the name, disambiguate the article name with the ship's launch year.
* {{xt|{{HMS|Victorious|1785}}}} and {{xt|{{HMS|Victorious|1895}}}} (launch year disambiguation)

In instances where a ship was captured or otherwise acquired by a navy and the article is placed at that title, use the date of capture or entry to the navy, rather than the date of launch, so the name and prefix are in agreement with the date disambiguation.
* {{xt|{{HMS|Canopus|1798}}}} rather than {{xt|{{HMS|Canopus|1797}}}}

On Wikipedia, [[United States Navy|US Navy]] and [[United States Coast Guard|US Coast Guard]] [[hull number]]s {{em|are [[hyphen]]ated}} (the US Navy itself is not consistent in this respect). Coast Guard hull numbers always start with a "W". [[Pennant number]]s {{em|do not have a hyphen or space}} (this matches the number as it typically  appears on the side of the ship). Not all pennant numbers have an initial letter ("flag superior"), for example {{xt|{{HMS|Ark Royal|91}}}}. In recent decades, the Australian and Canadian navies have moved towards American-style three letter pennant number prefixes. These should be {{em|written with a space}}, for example {{xt|{{HMCS|Vancouver|FFH 331}}}}.

If a ship had several hull numbers in its career, use the best-known for an article title. If none of the several hull numbers is clearly the best-known, use the first. Redirect others to the article, listing all in the article's lead section:
* {{xt|'''USS ''Goldsborough''''' ('''DD-188'''/'''AVP-18'''/'''AVD-5'''/'''APD-32''') was a ''Clemson''-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II.}} (From {{xt|{{USS|Goldsborough|DD-188}}}})
* {{xt|{{USS|Bogue|ACV-9}}}}, {{xt|{{USS|Bogue|AVG-9}}}}, {{xt|{{USS|Bogue|CVE-9}}}}, and {{xt|{{USS|Bogue|CVHP-9}}}} all redirect to {{xt|{{USS|Bogue}}}}.

===Hull number only, alphanumeric names===
Many types of ship, such as American [[PT boat]]s and German [[U-boat]]s, are officially known only by a hull number. In these cases, it can be best to spell out the ship type (e.g. {{xt|[[German submarine U-238|German submarine ''U-238'']]}}), but be sure the ship type name is correct.  In many cases, the designation is not an abbreviation and may not relate directly to a ship's class or even type.  For example, ''{{xt|[[PT-658]]}}'' can be a redirect to the main article {{xt|[[Motor Torpedo Boat PT-658|Motor Torpedo Boat ''PT-658'']]}}, but {{xt|[[U-238]]}} must be disambiguated, because ''U-238'' also refers to [[Uranium 238]].

Articles about vessels with [[alphanumeric]] names should use the prefix followed by the name, such as {{xt|{{HMS|A1}}}}, {{xt|{{HMS|E11}}}}, {{xt|{{HMS|M1}}}}.

===Ships from navies without ship prefixes===

Some navies or nations don't use standard ship prefixes.  Titles for articles about these ships have the form: <nationality> <type> <''italicized name''>

====Nationality====
The ship's country in adjective form; for example:
* {{xt|Brazilian}}
* {{xt|Japanese}} (though later Japanese ships use JS (Japanese Ship) or JDS (Japanese Defense Ship))
* {{xt|Ottoman}} (though later Turkish ships use TCG (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Gemisi))
* {{xt|German}} (though early German ships use [[Seiner Majestät Schiff|SMS]] (Seiner Majestät Schiff))

====Type====
Do not be over-specific about the ship type:
* {{xt|Japanese aircraft carrier ''Shōhō''}}, not {{!xt|Japanese light aircraft carrier ''Shōhō''}}

====Italicized name====
Ship names are always italicized:
* {{xt|[[Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov|Russian aircraft carrier ''Admiral Kuznetsov'']]}}
* {{xt|[[German battleship Bismarck|German battleship ''Bismarck'']]}}

====Invented prefixes====
Do not make up a ship prefix for a navy that did not use one. Thus:
* {{xt|German battleship ''Bismarck''}}, not {{!xt|DKM ''Bismarck''}}
* {{xt|Japanese battleship ''Yamato''}}, not {{!xt|HIJMS ''Yamato''}} or {{!xt|IJN ''Yamato''}}
* {{xt|Italian battleship ''Giulio Cesare''}}, not {{!xt|RM ''Giulio Cesare''}}
* {{xt|Russian aircraft carrier ''Admiral Kuznetsov''}}, not {{!xt|RFS ''Admiral Kuznetsov''}}

Some authors use invented prefixes for consistency with "USS", "HMS" etc. It was not a mistake for these authors to do that in their own works, but at Wikipedia we choose not to do so. To forestall attempts to move articles to the wrong place, you might want to add redirects from popular invented ship prefixes:
* {{xt|[[Japanese battleship Yamato|Japanese battleship ''Yamato'']]}} could have redirects from {{xt|[[IJN Yamato|IJN ''Yamato'']]}} and {{xt|[[HIJMS Yamato|HIJMS ''Yamato'']]}}.

==Naming articles about ship classes==

Articles about a ship class should follow standard [[Wikipedia:Article titles|Wikipedia naming conventions]].

A typical ship class article name has the following form: <class name>-class <ship type>

===Class name===
A ship class may be named for a member of the class (usually the first or lead ship) or the class may be named for an attribute common to all of the ships of the class. When the class is named for a member of the class, the class name is italicized.  When the class is named for a common theme or attribute, the class name is not italicized:
* ''Evergreen State'' is a member of the {{xt|''Evergreen State'' class}}
* HMT ''Juniper'' is a member of the {{xt|Tree class}}
* not HMT ''Juniper'' is a member of the {{!xt|''Tree'' class}}

===Ship type===
The type of ship that comprises the class: aircraft carrier, trawler, frigate, icebreaker. Do not be overly specific in the type:
* {{xt|aircraft carrier}}, not {{!xt|light escort fleet assault carrier}}

Use the singular form of the ship type:
* {{xt|submarine}}, not {{!xt|submarines}}

Uses of the class name as a noun are not [[hyphen]]ated, while adjectival references are hyphenated.  Article names that follow the form just described are adjectival because the compound phrase made up of <class name> and "class" modifies the noun <ship type>.  As such, article titles should be hyphenated:
* {{xt|''Evergreen State''-class ferry}}, not {{!xt|''Evergreen State'' class ferry}}
* {{xt|Tree-class trawler}}, not {{!xt|Tree class trawler}}

In article titles and in article text, use a [[hyphen]]; do not use an [[En_dash#En_dash|en dash]] (–) or [[Em_dash#Em_dash|em dash]] (—).
* {{xt|Tree-class trawler}}, not {{!xt|Tree–class trawler}} or {{!xt|Tree—class trawler}}

==Using ship names in articles==
A ship's name is always italicized. Prefixes, hull or [[pennant number]]s, and disambiguation suffixes are rendered in normal (i.e., non-italic) font.
* {{xt|USS ''Nimitz''}}, not {{!xt|USS Nimitz}} or {{!xt|''USS Nimitz''}}
* {{xt|USS ''Nimitz'' (CVN-68)}}, not {{!xt|USS ''Nimitz (CVN-68)''}}

Use the ship's prefix the first time you introduce the ship, and thereafter omit it. The prefix need not be given if it is obvious from context (for example, in a list of ships of the [[Royal Navy]] there is no need to repeat "HMS"). When writing about civilian ships, consider omitting common prefixes (e.g. "[[Motor ship|MS]]") from the article body, as italicizing the ship's name is often enough to identify it as a ship.

Do not use the [[Article_(grammar)#Definite_article|definite article]] ''the'' before a prefix or when introducing a ship for the first time; e.g., at the beginning of the lead section:
* {{xt|'''HMS ''Victory''''' was ...}}, not {{!xt|The '''HMS ''Victory''''' was ...}}

Generally, a definite article is not needed before a ship's name, although its use is not technically wrong:
* {{xt|''Victory'' was Nelson's flagship ...}} (preferred)
* {{xtn|The ''Victory'' was Nelson's flagship ...}} (not recommended)

Occasional use of the article makes text less ambiguous
* {{xt|The ''Belfast'' was bombed}} (unambiguous)
* {{xt|HMS ''Belfast'' was bombed}} (unambiguous)
* {{xtn|''Belfast'' was bombed}} (ambiguous, though the italics are a hint)

Make a link from the first mention of each ship in an article, even if Wikipedia does not yet have an article about that ship. If you do not know how to disambiguate it, link to the index page for its name: this will allow the link to be found and fixed later.

Do not give the hull number or other disambiguation information unless it is immediately relevant. Someone who needs to know can follow the link:
* {{xt|''Vanguard'' was Nelson's ...}}, not {{!xt|''Vanguard'' (1787) was Nelson's ...}}
* {{xt|''Yorktown'' was sunk ...}}, not {{!xt|''Yorktown'' (CV-5) was sunk ...}}
* "the later {{xt|''Lexington'' (CV-16)}} was laid down as ''Cabot'' but renamed in honour of the earlier {{xt|''Lexington'' (CV-2)}}"—disambiguation information is needed.

Always use the full name of the ship unless a widely known shortening, akin to a nickname, exists. Do not omit parts of the name just because they are, for example, common for all ships of a shipping company.
* {{xt|''Edward M. Cotter''}}, not {{!xt|''Cotter''}}

===Possessive form of a ship's name===
When using the possessive form of a ship's name in articles, use the {{tlx|'}} template to provide proper styling and avoid encoding problems that can occur when an apostrophe follows italicized text. The apostrophe and "s" ''are not'' italicized:

* Linked names: <code><nowiki>{{USS|Ticonderoga||2}}{{'}}s</nowiki></code> displays as {{USS|Ticonderoga||2}}{{'}}s
* Regular names: <code><nowiki>''Ticonderoga''{{'}}s</nowiki></code> displays as ''Ticonderoga''{{'}}s

===Pronouns===
{{crossref|printworthy=y|For use of "it/its" or "she/her" in reference to ships, see {{section link|WP:Manual of Style#Third-person pronouns}}.}}

==Using ship class names in articles==
A ship class can take the name of a class member or it can take a name that is thematically common to all members of the class. When the class takes its name from a member of the class, the name is italicized:
* {{sclass|Benjamin Franklin|submarine|1}}

Thematically common class names are rendered in normal font:
* {{sclass2|Town|destroyer|1}} (e.g., HMS ''Salisbury''; there was no HMS ''Town'')
* {{sclass2|Admiral|battlecruiser|1}}

Additionally, ship class names have a noun form and an adjectival form:
* {{sclass|Natick|fleet tug|4}} (noun form)
* {{sclass|Natick|fleet tug|1}} (adjectival form)

When creating links to ship-class articles, useful editing shortcut templates are: {{tlx|sclass}} (italicized font, hyphenated) and {{tlx|sclass2}} (normal font, hyphenated). See the template documentation for usage guidelines.

Use the noun form when the class name does not modify another noun:
* {{xt|Construction of the ''Natick'' class began at ...}}
* {{xt|... last tugboat of the ''Natick'' class.}}

Use the adjectival form when the class name modifies another noun:
* {{xt|''Natick''-class names ...}}
* {{xt|... two ''Natick''-class z-drive tugs ...}}

==Disambiguating ships with the same name==
{{shortcut|WP:SHIPDAB}}
It is common for multiple ships to share a name. Therefore, disambiguation needs special attention.

For older ships predating the modern pennant/hull number system, the most widely recognisable fact about the ship is its date of launch or construction. This is a unique identifier for a ship with a particular name in navies where names are customarily re-used and is applicable generally to all ships, unlike local naval identification numbers: 
* {{xt|{{HMS|Vanguard|1748}}}}
* {{xt|{{HMS|Vanguard|1787}}}}
* {{xt|{{HMS|Vanguard|1835}}}}

In instances where a ship was captured or otherwise acquired by a navy or shipping company, or simply renamed, and the article is placed at that title, use the date that is in agreement with the name and prefix (such as the date of capture or entry to the navy or fleet, or the date of the renaming) rather than the date of launch.
* {{xt|{{HMS|Canopus|1798}}}} rather than {{xt|{{HMS|Canopus|1797}}}}

In a few cases, one ship is so much better-known than others of the same name that it need not be disambiguated. For example:
* the article for Horatio Nelson's flagship is {{xt|{{HMS|Victory}}}}; other ''Victory''s are listed at [[List of ships named HMS Victory|List of ships named HMS ''Victory'']].
* the article for Charles Darwin's vessel of exploration is {{xt|{{HMS|Beagle}}}}; other ''Beagle''s are listed at [[List of ships named HMS Beagle|List of ships named HMS ''Beagle'']].

European navies reuse pennant numbers, so ships of the same name may have the same pennant numbers; the second and third [[RFA Sir Galahad|RFA ''Sir Galahad'' (L3005)]], for example are disambiguated by launch year:
* {{xt|[[RFA Sir Galahad (1966)|RFA ''Sir Galahad'' (1966)]]}}
* {{xt|[[RFA Sir Galahad (1987)|RFA ''Sir Galahad'' (1987)]]}}

Make an index page that lists all the ships in a navy with the same name:
* {{xt|{{USS|Enterprise}}}} lists 8 USS ''Enterprises''
* {{xt|{{HMS|Vanguard}}}} lists 10 HMS ''Vanguards''

For well-known names that are shared between navies, or between military and civilian ships, also disambiguate at the usual [[Wikipedia:Disambiguation|Wikipedia disambiguation page]] for the name:
* {{xt|[[Nautilus (disambiguation)]]}} refers to ships named ''Nautilus''.
* {{xt|[[Discovery]]}} refers to ships named ''Discovery''.

Discussion at [[Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Ships/Archive 51#Ship Index _pages - another try|WP:SHIPS]] in November 2017 resulted in consensus that ships bearing the same name will be disambiguated by way of lists, in the form of [[WP:SETINDEX|Set Index Articles]], such as {{xt|[[List of ships named Albatross|List of ships named ''Albatross'']]}}, with naval ships such as {{xt|{{HMS|Albatross}}}}, {{xt|{{ship|SMS|Albatross}}, {{xt|USS|Albatross}}}}, etc. redirecting to the list. For editing guidance, see [[WP:SHIPMOS]].

==Ships that changed name or nationality==
An article about a ship that changed name or nationality should be placed at the best-known name, with a redirect from the other name. Examples:
* Article at {{xt|{{HMS|Royal Charles|1655}}}}, with a redirect from {{xt|[[Commonwealth ship Naseby|Commonwealth ship ''Naseby'']]}}
* Article at {{xt|{{ship||Cutty Sark||2}}}}, with a redirect from {{xt|[[Maria do Amparo|''Maria do Amparo'']]}}
* Article at {{xt|{{ship|Russian aircraft carrier|Admiral Kuznetsov||6}}}}, with a redirect from {{xt|[[Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov|Soviet aircraft carrier ''Admiral Kuznetsov'']]}}

But if the ship had significant careers in two navies, it may be best to create two articles with one ending at the transfer and the other beginning then, depending on how long the articles are and how extensive the transformation of the ship. For example:
* {{xt|{{USS|Phoenix|CL-46|6}}}} became {{xt|{{ship|ARA|General Belgrano||6}}}}

==Ships whose class and designation changed==
If an entire [[ship class|class]] of ships was reclassified (such as in the [[United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification|1975 USN ship reclassification]]), be consistent and make the decision once for all the ships of the class:
* The {{sclass|Knox|frigate|5}}- and {{sclass|Garcia|frigate}}s are named with the FF (frigate) classification, not DE (destroyer escort). (Justification: known as frigates for the majority of their service.)
* The {{sclass2|Castle|corvette}}s are named with pennant numbers starting K, not F. (Justification: best known for service during [[World War II]].)

==Ship class articles==
Articles about a [[ship class|ship ''class'']] should be named <code>(class name)-class (type)</code>; for example, {{sclass|Ohio|submarine|1}}.  Do not be overly specific in the type; for example, use "aircraft carrier", not "light escort fleet assault carrier".  Use the singular form of the ship type; for example, "submarine", not "submarines".

Uses of the class as a noun are not [[hyphen]]ated, while adjectival references are hyphenated, as in {{sclass|Ohio|submarine}}: if in doubt, do not hyphenate. The second parameter makes [[submarine]] a separate link; this is not required, but does allow the reader to look up the general term directly instead of being plunged into the technical discussion of a ship class.

When the class is named after a member of the class, italicize the class name, for example the {{sclass|Lion|battlecruiser|4}} of battlecruisers is named after {{HMS|Lion|1910|6}}. But when the class is not named after a member of the class, the class name is not italicized, for example the {{sclass2|Battle|destroyer|4}} of destroyers is named after battles; there is no HMS ''Battle'' that is a member of that class.

Ship classes may need to be disambiguated by either nationality or launch date:
* {{xt|[[United States Porpoise-class submarine|United States ''Porpoise''-class submarine]]}}
* {{xt|[[British Porpoise-class submarine|British ''Porpoise''-class submarine]]}}
* {{xt|[[King George V-class battleship (1911)|''King George V''-class battleship (1911)]]}}
* {{xt|[[King George V-class battleship (1939)|''King George V''-class battleship (1939)]]}}

==Country and navy-specific articles== 
Articles which name the country or navy in the article title should conform to the [[Wikipedia:Naming conventions (country-specific topics)|country-specific]] guidelines. This states that:

{{Blockquote|In general, country-specific articles should be named using the form: "(item) of (country)"... This will usually hold true in other geography-specific topics, such as for cities, continents, provinces, states, etc.}}

Navies are country or geography-specific.

* {{xt|[[List of ships of the line of Italy]]}}, not {{!xt|List of Italian ships of the line}}
* {{xt|[[List of naval ships of Portugal]]}}, not {{!xt|List of Portuguese naval ships}}
* {{xt|[[List of ships of the Canadian Navy]]}}, not {{!xt|List of Canadian Navy ships}}
* {{xt|[[Early naval vessels of New Zealand]]}}, not {{!xt|Early New Zealand naval vessels}}
* {{xt|[[Coastal Forces of the Royal Navy]]}}, not {{!xt|Royal Navy Coastal Forces}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
*[[Wikipedia:Queen Elizabeth slipped majestically into the water]]{{Spaced en dash}}Essay on the pretentiousness and confusion potential of referring to ships as ''she''.

[[Category:Wikipedia naming conventions (transportation)|Ships]]