United American Lines subsidiary

American-Hawaiian Steamship Company

Names of states and territories with the suffix "an" oe "n."

e.g. Alaskan, Floridian, Kentuckian.

Associated Oil Company

Officials of the company.

e.g. Frank G. Drum, Wm. F. Herrin

Small vessels follow no system.

J. H. Baxter & Company

The Baxter surname.

e.g. Fred Baxter, Horace X. Baxter

Blue Funnel Line subsidiaries

Holt Company

Characters of Homeric or other Greek myths.

e.g. Achilles, Atreus, Agamemnon, Hector

Atalanta, Medusa, Circe, Eurypylus

China Mutual Steam Navigation

Chinese names.

e.g.: Pak Ling, Yang-tse

Ocean Steamship Company

Names prefixed with "Knight."

e.g. Knight of the Garter, Knight Companion

Canadian Government Merchant Marine

Adjective Canadian followed by a noun with the suffix "er."

e.g.: Canadian Adventurer, Canadian Miner

(with the exceptions: Canadian Scottish, Canadian Recruit)

Canadian National Railways, Steamship Department

Grand Trunk Pacific Coast Steamship Company

Names of preceded with "Prince."

e.g. Prince Rupert, Prince George

Canadian Pacific Railway

Prefix of "Princess"

e.g.: Princess Louise, Princess Charlotte

Canadian Pacific Steamship, Limited

Prefix of "Empress"

e.g. Empress of Russia, Empress of China

"Empress class" vessel begin with "M."

e.g. Moteagle, Methven

Freight begins with "B."

e.g. Bosworth, Bothwell

Compagne Generale Transatlantique

Geographic names, cities, provinces, states, and countries.

e.g. Chicago, La Navarre, Alamba, Venezuela

Coos Bay Lumber Company

Names with the surname Smith.

e.g.: C. A, Smith, Johanna Smith

The Robert Dollar Company

Named for members of the Dollar family.

e.g. Robert Dollar, Harold Dollar, M. S. Dollar

(except sailing vessels)

The East Asiatic Company

Names of geographic locales.

e.g. Afrika, Java, Jutlandia, Malaya, Peru

Ellerman Wilson Line subsidiaries

Ellerman & Bucknall Steamship Company, City Line

"City of" prefix

e.g. City of Benares, City of York

Ellerman & Bucknall Steamship Company, Hall Line

"Hall" suffix

e.g.: Branksome Hall, Crosby Hall

Ellerman & Bucknall Steamship Company, Wilson Line

Names end with "o"

e.g. Aleppo, Claro, Leo, Tasso

Forest Line

"Forest" prefix

e.g. Forest King, Forest Dream, Forest Pride, Forest Friend (how cute)

S. S. Freeman & Company

Prefix of "Daisy" or "Daisy" alone.

e.g. Daisy, Daisy Gadsby, Daisy Matthews

Furness, Withy & Company subsidiaries

Prince Line

"Prince" preceded by an adjective of nationality

e.g. Algerian Prince, Manchurian Prince, Trojan Prince

(also Black Prince, Royal Princem Soldier Prince)

Johnson Line

End in "more"

e.g. Barrymore, Cedarmore, Pinemore

Manchester Liners, Ltd.

"Manchester" followed by a noun.

e.g. Manchester Brigade, Manchester City

Rio Cape Line, Ltd.

"Glen" as the first syllable.

e.g. Glenaffric, Glendu

Quebec Steamship Company

Two or three words, the first of which is "Fort"

e.g. Fort Hamilton, Fort St. George

Empire Transport Company

End in "Transport"

e.g. American Transport, British Transport

Houlder Line, Ltd.

End in "Grange"

e.g. Oaklands Grange, Thorpe Grange

Neptune Steam Navigation Company, Ltd.

End in "Range"

e.g. Alpine Range, Malvern Range

Norfolk & North American Steam Shipping Company, Ltd.

End in "Point" or :Miller."

e.g. Cornish Point, Northwestern Miller

Gulf Line, Ltd.

End in "no."

e.g. Ariano, Castellano

British Empire Steam Navigation, Ltd.

End in "River."

e.g. Derwent River, Fraser River

Furness-Houlder Argentine Lines

"esa" vessels are refrigerated steamers.

British & Argentine Steam Navigation Company, Ltd.

"El" vessels are refrigerated steamers.

e.g. El Cordobes

W. R. Grace & Company

Spanish names of women saints.

e.g. Santa Rita, Santa Inez, Santa Alicia, Santa Cruz(?)

(except Colusa, Bark Belfast)

James Griffiths & Sons

First syllable is "Griff."

e.g. Griffco, Griffson, Griffdu

Harrison Direct Line subsidiary

T. & J. Harrison

Arts and Letters, learned professions, statescraft, military science, "adventerous callings."

e.g. Actor, Author, Musician, Architect, Diplomat Senator, Centurion, Matador, Custodian

Hind, Rolph & Co.

Largely Hawaiian names.

e.g. Hawaii, Honoipu, Lahaina, Makaweli, Puako, Robt. R. Hind

Holland-America Line

Freight ends with "dijk" or "dyk."

e.g. Eemdijk, Moerdijk

Passenger vessels end in "dam."

e.g. Leerdam, Noordam, Rotterdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Edam

Inter-Island Steam Navigation

Hawaiian mountains.

e.g. Kilauea, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Claudine(!)

(in progress) 

"What's in a Name?" Pacific Marine Review, January 1922. pp 24-28