Various ship nicknames that I have collected during my reading and exploration of the Internet. This list of course is far from comprehensive. It mostly includes American and British ships, as sources describing these ships are more accessible.

Where possible and not otherwise self-evident, I have included 'explanation' for a nickname, as indicated by one source or another.

A ship might bear more than one nickname over the course of its career, or even at the same time. Different constituencies might have different names or 'shorthand' for the same ship. For example, the nickname used by a ship's crew may not be the same as the shorthand used by the high command, which may not be the same as the name used by the press (and public), which may not be the same one as used by the complement of a 'rival' ship within the fleet.

Nicknames are not always polite, and I am not responsible for any offense that any readers may take to the nature of or the mere inclusion of a particular name. Believe it or not, sailors sometimes seem to enjoy showing a healthy disrespect even for their own (naturally beloved) ship, and may themselves apply what would be thought a derogatory or insulting name. This is not to say that the crew of that ship might not take offense if an outsider were to refer to their ship by that name. In other cases, names are applied by the press, public, opposition, or elsewhere within a fleet, oftentimes based on a real or perceived deficiency in either the ship or crew, and such names may well be considered offensive by the crew of the maligned vessel. Tread with care.

Additions, corrections and clarifications are welcome. Send e-mail.

Australia

Brazil

Canada

China

Confederate States of America

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Great Britain

Japan

Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Russia/Soviet Union

Spain

United States

SS Catalina (1924) Great White Steamer, The

SS Christopher Columbus (1893) Queen Of The Lakes

SS Eastland (1902) Speed Queen of The Lakes Fastest excursion ship operating on Lake Michigan.

SS Edmund Fitzgerald (1958) Fitz

SS United States (1952) Big U

SS William J. DeLancey Fancy DeLancey

USA Chasseur (1812) Pride of Baltimore Baltimore-built, served with distinction in War of 1812

USCG Bear (1873) Old Iron Sides

USCG Munro - WHEC-724 (1971) We Have to Eat Chicken 7-24 Play on WHEC designation.

USCGC Polar Star - WAGB-10 (1976) Polar Roller, The Ice breaker hull shape rolls excessively in beam seas.

USF Constellation (1797) Yankee Racehorse Earned due to her high speed during 'quasi-war'. According to some sources this name was applied rather (or also) to the 1854 sloop Constellation for that ship's record of chasing down blockade runners during the Civil War.

USF Constitution (1797) Old Ironsides Purported ability to resist cannonshot.

USF United States (1797) Old Wagon Heaviest and slowest of the large frigates ordered in 1796.

USS Abraham Lincoln - CVN-72 (1989) Abe

Baberaham After shipping Co-ed crew.

Satan's Flagship

USS Abraham Lincoln - SSBN-602 (1961) Sinkin' Lincoln

USS Acadia - AD-42 (1981) Love Boat, The High proportion of female crew, high # of pregnancies following Gulf War I deployment

USS Alabama - BB-60 (1942) Big A

Big Bama

Mighty A, The

USS Alexander Hamilton - SSBN-617 (1963) A. Frog Story is that black hull paint not allowed to dry, washed off in spots during deployment, suggesting frog appearance.

Frog, The Story is that black hull paint not allowed to dry, washed off in spots during deployment, suggesting frog appearance.

USS America - CV-66 (1965) America Stress on the third syllable I.e. "A-meh-REE-ka"

Big A, The

Hostile Surface Contact

USS Antietam - CG-54 (1987) Auntie Em

USS Archerfish A Fish Not known which USS Archerfish this refers to.

USS Arizona - BB-39 (1916) Up and At 'Em

USS Arkansas - BB-33 (1912) Arkie

USS Arleigh Burke - DDG-51 (1991) Always Broke

USS Aspro - SSN-648 (1969) Spro

Sprofish

USS Astoria - CA-34 (1934) Nasty Asty

USS Augusta - SSN-710 (1984) Bumperfish

Disgusta

Oh, Shitfish

USS Austin - LPD-4 (1965) Duck, The LPD=Large Plastic Duck. Comment on ship's expected survivability in combat.

USS B-Class submarine - SS-163-5 (1924-26) Barking Fish 3 boats, Barracuda, Bass & Bonita. Name inspired by peculiar hull shape.

USS Bainbridge - CGN-25 (1962) Billy B

Brain Damage

Grey Ghost, The Reputation as fastest ship in Pacific fleet during 60s.

USS Barb - SS-220 (1942) Boob, The

USS Batfish - SSN-681 (1972) Batboat, The

USS Belleau Wood - LHA-3 (1978) Big Dog

Devil Dog

USS Benjamin Stoddert - DDG-22 (1964) Benny Sweat

Pocket Cruiser Adopted in late 80s apparently. Ship's patch bears legend "World's Finest Pocket Cruiser."

USS Bennington - CV-20 (1944) Benn

Benny

Big Benn

Cripple Ship First ship equipped with heavy duty arrester gear, crippled aircraft were frequently routed to be recovered aboard her.

USS Billfish - SSN-676 (1971) Spirit of '76

USS Bon Homme Richard - CV-31 (1944) Bonnie Dick

USS BonHomme Richard - LHD-6 (1998) Revolutionary Gator 'Gator' seems to be a common theme among ships of this type or class

USS Boston Lost One

USS Bowen - FF-1079 (1971) Goin' Bowen

USS Bowfin - SS-287 (1943) Pearl Harbor Avenger, The Launched 12/7/42

USS Boxer - CV-21 (1945) Busy Bee According to a former crewmember during the 60s.

Showboat, The Labeled thus on a postcard printed in ship's printing plant in 1945.

USS Brinkley Bass - DD-887 (1945) Rinkly Ass

USS Bunker Hill - CG-52 (1986) Vertical Swordsman, The First ship armed with vertical launching system.

USS Bunker Hill - CV-17 (1943) Holiday Express Was very active during Xmas/New Year's holiday period in 1944.

USS Bush - DD-529 (1943) Fighting '29, The

USS Bushnell - AS-15 (1943) Burning Bush Serious electrical fire in 1965

USS Cabot - CVL-28 (1943) Iron Lady, The Ernie Pyle reported from aboard during war. Prohibited from revealing the name of the ship this was the term he used.

USS California - BB-44 (1921) Prune Barge, The

USS Canopus Can of Shit

USS Carl Vinson - CVN-70 (1982) Battlestar, The Most advanced electronic suite at the time.

Chuckie V

Starship Vinson

Uncle Carl

Vinnie

USS Casablanca-class aircraft carrier - CVE-n (1942) Kaiser Koffins Very lightly constructed, top-heavy ships that were built by Kaiser shipyards.

USS Casimir Pulaski - SSBN-633 (1964) Crazy Polock

USS Chevalier - DD-451 (1942) Chevy

USS Chosin - CG-65 (1991) Chosen One, The

War Dragon, The Dragon figure in ship's seal.

USS Cimarron - AO-22 (1939) Find Them, Fuel Them, Forget Them More of a slogan I think.

USS City of Corpus Christi - SSN-705 (1983) City Of

Corpus Delecti

USS Cole - DDG-67 (1996) Determined Warrior, The

USS Columbus - CG-12 (1962) Clumsy Bus

Tall Lady, The Tallest of 3 Albany-class vessels. According to some sources, the entire class was sometimes referred to as 'Tall Ladies.'

Ugly Dozen, The Apparently not everyone thought the design attractive.

USS Constellation - CV-64 (1961) America's Flagship

Connie

USS Constellation - IX-20 (1854) Cradle of Admirals Long serving training ship

USS Copeland - FFG-25 (1982) Cope-less

USS Coral Sea - CV-43 (1947) Ageless Warrior

Best In The West

Big 'C', The

Big Sea, The

CarlC

Coral Crunch

Coral Maroon

Coral Maru

Coral Shit

Cruel Maru

Cruel Sea

Hotel 43

Natural, The

Olongapo's Own

Operational Queen of the Seventh Fleet, The

Oral Sea

Oral Sex

San Francisco's Own Home port for many years. City adopted her under this title by 'resolution & proclamation 7/24/67.'

Three Screw Maru Coral Sea reportedly had a bent or otherwise damaged shaft that would cause severe vibrations at high speed. Is that the inspiration behind this name?

USS Cowpens - CG-63 (1991) Mighty Moo, The Crew known as "The Thundering Herd."

USS Cowpens - CVL-25 (1943) Mighty Moo, The

USS Croatan - CVE-25 (1943) Old Crow

USS Dace Dunce

USS Dallas - SSN-700 (1981) Ballastfish

USS David R. Ray - DD-971 (1977) Death-Ray

USS Des Moines - CA-134 (1948) Crusader Radio call sign.

Daisy Mae

Dizzy D

USS Deuel - APA-160 (1944) Dirty D, The

USS Drayton - DD-366 (1936) Blue Beetle, The Dark blue camouflage in early WWII

USS Duncan - FFG-10 (1980) Dunkin' Donuts

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower - CVN-69 (1977) Ike

USS Elrod - FFG-55 (1985) Hammerin' Hank After namesake, Major Henry Elrod.

USS Enterprise - CV-6 (1938) Big E

Fighting Gray Lady, The

Galloping Ghost of The Oahu Coast, The

Lucky E, The

USS Enterprise - CVN-65 (1961) 'Prise, The

Big E

Building 65 During protracted refit in early 1980s

Ghetto Ship, The

Pig, The

Starship After Star Trek.

USS Essex - CV-9 (1942) Fightingest Ship in The Fleet, The

Galloping Ghost of Any Coast, The In 1958 Essex steamed over 75,000 miles in ten months in deployments in the Mediterranean and Pacific.

Oldest and The Boldest, The

USS Essex - LHD-2 (1992) Iron Gator, The 'Gator' seems to be a common theme among ships of this type or class

USS Essex (1992) Iron Gator

USS Fletcher - DD-445 (1942) Lucky 13 Only US ship to survive undamaged from Naval Battle Of Guadalcanal on the morning of 11/13/1942.

USS Flying Fish - SSN-673 (1970) Drug Fish, The Used in unit (SubRon 6 - Norfolk) after a large drug bust involving some of her crew in early 80s.

USS Forrestal - CV-59 (1955) FID "First In Defense"... Referring to J. Forrestal's role as Sec. Defense. This was also ship's motto.

Forest Fire Severe deck fire in 1967.

FuckUsAll

Zippo Besides the disastrous deck fire, ship supposedly constantly experienced small ship-board fires.

USS Francis Hammond - FF-1067 (1970) Franic Hammond

Frannie Maru

USS Francis Scott Key - SSBN-657 (1966) Francis Scotki Crew of USS Casimir Pulaski would "joke that she was the second sub named for a Polish person."

USS Franklin - CV-13 (1944) Big Ben

USS Franklin D. Roosevelt - CV-42 (1945) Dirty

FDR

Filthy

Foody Roo

Happy Wanderer, The Record # of miles steamed, and Mediterranean deployments.

Rosie

Rusty

USS Gary - FFG-51 (1984) Two-Guns Mascot was Yosemite Sam

USS George Washington - SSBN-598 (1959) Georgefish

USS Glover - AGDE-1 (1965) Aged-1 A play on the AGDE designation.

Another God-Damned Experiment A play on the AGDE designation

Awfully God-Damned Expensive A play on the AGDE designation

Egad-1 A play on the AGDE designation

General, The

Glove Boat, The

Glover Lover, The

Grey Ghost of The Gitmo Coast, The

Lover

Mother Glover

Shovel, The

USS Grayling - SSN-646 (1968) Gray Thing

USS Greenling Green Pig

Greenthing

USS Guadalcanal - LPH-7 (1963) Anal Canal

Golden Wad, The

USS Gwin - DD-433 (1941) Win with the Gwin More of a slogan I think.

USS Haleakala - AE-25 (1959) Hockey-Puck Maru

USS Halsey Bull

USS Hancock - CV-19 (1944) Handjob Applied in late 60s.

Hannah

Mighty Hannah, The

USS Harry E. Yarnell - CG-17 (1963) Hairy Urinal

USS Harry S. Truman - CVN-75 (1998) Hairy Ass

USS Harry W. Hill - DD-986 (1979) Horrible Harry

USS Hassayampa - AO-145 Humpin' Hass

USS Helena - CA-75 (1945) Illustrate Radio call sign.

USS Henry Clay - SSBN-625 (1964) Henry Lemon

USS Hepburn - FF-1055 (1969) Hashburn

USS Honolulu Blue Goose, The After state bird

USS Hornet - CV-12 (1943) Best In The West, The

Fighting Lady

Grey Ghost, The Never used during ship's operational career, applied later as a PR tactic by museum promoters.

Hornet Hotel During time as troop transport.

Horney Maru

USS Hornet - CV-8 (1941) Fighting Lady

Happy Hornet

Horny Maru

USS Houston - CA-30 (1930) Galloping Ghost of The Java Coast, The

Rambler, The

USS Hyman G. Rickover - SSN-709 (1984) Cell Block 709

Dicked Over

Hymie G.

USS Idaho - BB-42 (1919) Big I

USS Inchon - LPH-12 (1970) Grey Taxi, The

Grunt Hilton

Inchworm

USS Independence - CV-62 (1959) Indigestion

Indy

Lindy

USS Indiana - BB-58 (1942) Hoosier Houseboat

Indian Country

Sophisticated Lady

USS Indianapolis - CA-35 (1932) Indy

Swayback Maru Profile of interwar US cruisers suggested curvature of the spine.

USS Ingersoll - DD-990 (1980) IngerHell

USS Intrepid - CV-11 (1943) Decrepid

Dry I

Evil Eye

Evil I Took frequent damage during WW2.

USS Iowa - BB-61 (1943) Big Stick

First Lady of the Third Fleet, The Some reports indicate that this was actually Missouri

Gray Ghost, The

Mighty I, The

USS Jack - SSN-605 (1967) Jack-maru

USS Jack Williams - FFG-24 (1981) Arky, The

Happy Jack

Jack Daniels

USS Jacksonville - SSN-699 (1981) Bumper Boat Due to her various collisions -- the crew was referred to as: Crash Crew 82, Back For More in 84 and Deep Six in 86

Jackassville

USS James Madison - SSBN-627 (1964) Black Magic

Dolly Madison

Jimmy "Mad Dog" Madison

Jolly Dolly

USS James Monroe - SSBN-622 (1963) Jimmy the Pig

USS Jenkins - DD-447 (1942) Jerky Jenkins

Mighty J

USS John C. Stennis - CVN-74 (1995) JCS

Johnnie Reb

USS John F. Kennedy - CV-67 (1968) Big John

Building 67

JFK

John F. Collision Supposedly applied by crew of USS Belknap following a collision.

Kan-Opener Involved in a collision with USS Belknap

Slack Jack

USS Johnston GQ Johnny

USS Jupiter - AVS-8 (1942) Baka-Hatchi Maru

USS Kamehameha - SSBN-642 (1965) Kammy-Ha-Ha

USS Kearsarge - CV-33 (1946) Corsage, The

Gay Kay

Kay

Mighty Kay-RUNCH, The Three collisions in less than a year

Mighty Kay, The

Queerbarge

Rammin Rankin's Krashbarge Three collisions in less than a year

USS Kidd - DD-661 (1943) Pirate of The Pacific, The Though named after Admiral Kidd (killed at Pearl Harbor) ship's mascot was Captain Kidd, the pirate. She had an emblem painted on a funnel, flew the Skull & Crossbones and would ransom rescued airmen back to their ships.

USS Kidd-class (1981) Ayatollah-class Originally built for Iran, taken over instead by the USN after the fall of the Shah.

Dead-admiral-class All named after deceased admirals

USS Kinkaid - DD-965 (1976) Crush-Kaid Was rammed by a large merchant ship.

USS Kittyhawk - CV-63 (1961) Battle Kitty

Chicken Hawk

Hawk, The Reportedly most common.

Shitty Bird

Shitty Kitty

Shittyhawk

USS La Jolla - SSN-701 (1981) La Jolla de Muerte "Jewel of Death" in Spanish.

USS Lake Champlain - CV-39 (1945) Champ

Lake Complain

USS Lake Erie - CG-70 (1993) Ear-ache

USS Langley - CV-1 (1922) Covered Wagon, The based on ship's appearance.

Old Covered Wagon Ship's patch depicted ship's hull topped by Conestoga cover.

USS LaVallette - DD-448 (1942) Dilly

LaVadilly

USS Leftwich - DD-984 (1979) Left Bitch

Left Tit

USS Leviathan - ID-1326 (1917) Levi Nathan

USS Lewis and Clark - SSBN-644 (1965) Leaks and Cracks

Lost and Confused

USS Lewis B. Puller - FFG-23 (1982) Chesty Puller Namesake's nickname

USS Lexington - CV-16 (1943) Blue Ghost, The Blue camouflage scheme.

Lady Lex

USS Lexington - CV-2 (1927) Lady Lex

USS Long Beach - CG-9 (1961) Long Bitch

USS LPH-class - 1961 (1961) Lame Ponderous Hulk

USS LST-575 - LST-575 (1944) Mammy Yokum

USS Mahan - DDG-42 (1960) Mickey, The 'Passing the word for Mickey Mahan called out the security team.'

USS Mariano G. Vallejo - SSBN-658 (1966) Valley Joe

USS Maryland - BB-46 (1921) Fighting Mary

Mary

Old Mary

USS Massachusetts - BB-59 (1942) Big Mamie

USS McCawley - APA-4 (1940) Wacky Mac

USS McClusky - FFG-41 (1983) McCluster-Fuck

USS McGowan - DD-678 Pugnose Bent stem in collision with pier, never repaired.

USS Miantonomoh My Aunt Don't Know Me

USS Midway - CV-41 (1945) Magic

Never Dock

Skiddway

USS Mindoro - CVE-120 (1945) Mighty Minnie Had 99 year license from Disney to use Minnie Mouse logo in patch design.

USS Minneapolis - CA-36 (1934) Minnie

USS Minneapolis-St. Paul - SSN-708 (1984) Menopause

USS Mississippi Mudpuppy

Mudsucker

USS Mississippi - BB-41 (1917) Ole Miss

USS Missouri - BB-63 (1944) Mighty Mo

Mo

War Pig, The

USS Moinester - FF-1097 (1974) Mickey Mo

USS Monitor (1862) Cheesebox on a Raft, The Appearance.

Tin Can on A Shingle

USS Morrison - DD-560 (1943) Moe

USS Nathaniel Greene - SSBN-636 (1964) Nasty Nat

USS Nevada - BB-36 (1916) Cheer-up Ship Nevada's getting under way during the attack at Pearl Harbor was inspirational to many. Other accounts say that 'Cheer up' was the slogan of her first captain.

USS New Jersey - BB-62 (1943) Big J

Big Jay, The

Black Dragon Dark, all blue camouflage in WW2.

NJ

USS New Mexico - BB-40 (1918) Queen, The

USS New Mexico-class battleship (1918) Big Five, The Applied to the 3 ships of this class, along with the 2 ships of the subsequent and very similar Tennessee class. In some sources, 'The Big Five' refers to the two ships of the Tennessee class and the three ships of the subsequent Maryland class.

USS New Orleans NO Boat

USS Newport News - CA-148 (1949) Gray Ghost, The

Never No

News, The

Thunder Call sign, used during 1967 while on Viet Nam deployment

USS Nicholas - DD-449 (1942) Nick

USS Nimitz - CVN-68 (1975) Chet

Numb-nuts

USS North Carolina - BB-55 (1941) Showboat, The Long work up time, highly visible during this period leaving and entering port, putting on a 'show' for press and public.

USO North Carolina Applied by crew USS Washington BB-56 because NC spent more time in the states for repairs and refits and therefor was much more frequently mentioned in the press than other ships.

USS Northampton - CA-26 (1939) Nora

Number One Ship In the Number One Navy, The

USS O'Bannon - DD-450 (1942) Lucky 'O'

Potato Barge

USS Ogden - LPD-5 (1965) Oggie Doggie

USS Okinawa - LPH-3 (1962) Brokinawa

USS Oklahoma - BB-37 (1916) Mighty Okie

USS Oklahoma City - CL-91 (1944) OK City

Okie Boat

Okie City

USS Oklahoma City - SSN-723 (1988) Brokelahoma City

USS Oldendorf - DD-972 (1978) Dork, The

Woodendork, The

USS Oliver Perry-class FIGS

USS Oliver Perry-class (1977) Helen Keller-class

USS Olympia Only Lovely Young Maidens Presently Invited Aboard

USS Omaha Oh! My Ass Hurts Again!

USS Oregon - BB-3 (1896) Bulldog of The Navy, The or "The Bulldog of The Fleet."

McKinley's Bulldog "She was called a "bulldog" at the battle of Santiago (Cuba), where the name stuck. She appeared as a tough dog, speeding into a fight, and the white wake off her bow was said to appear as a "bone" clenched in her teeth." - Battleships.org

Yankee Devil, The Spanish nickname.

USS Oriskany - CV-34 (1950) Big O, The

Big Risk, The

Flaming O

Mighty O, The

O Boat

Toasted O Severe deck/hangar fire during a Vietnam deployment in 60s.

USS Zippo "Fire every day during 71/72 cruise"

USS Orleck - DD-886 (1945) Oil Slick

Sunkist Had notable success during war game one year as member of orange fleet.

USS Pegasus - PHM-1 (1977) Pegasorous Supposedly originally to be named Delphinus but changed in anticipation that the nickname of Delphinus would be 'Dull Penis.'

USS Pennsylvania - BB-38 (1916) Grand Old Lady, The

Keystone Battlewagon, The

Mighty Penn

Old Falling Apart During WW2: “She turns out such a volume of gun fire you'd think she was falling to pieces”.

Pennsy

Penny

USS Philadelphia Filthydelphia

USS Philippine Sea - CV-47 (1946) PhilSea

Showboat, The Used on one veterans' website.

USS Phoenix - SSN-702 (1981) Flaming Chicken

USS Pittsburgh Shitsburgh

USS Portland - CA-33 (1933) Sweet Pea

USS Potomac - AG-25 (1936) Floating White House, The Presidential yacht

USS Prince William - CVE-31 (1943) Pee Willie

USS Princeton - CV-37 (1945) SweetPea

USS Providence (1775) Lucky Sloop, The

USS Puget Sound Love Boat, The

Pubic Mound

USS Queenfish - SS-?? Queerfish

USS Ranger - CV-4 (1934) Ghost Ship, The Incorrectly reported sunk by u-boat.

USS Ranger - CV-61 (1957) Building 61

Danger Ranger

Gray Lady, The

R-Boat

Top Gun

USS Reuben James - FFG-57 (1986) Rubber Jimmy

USS Richard B. Anderson Roast Beef Again

USS Robert E. Lee - SSBN-601 (1960) Bitchin' Bobby

USS Robinson - DD-562 (1944) Robbie

USS Rochester - CA-124 Gray Ghost of The Korean Coast, The Reportedly fired more shells during Korea than any other ship.

USS Rodney M. Davis - FFG-60 (1987) Ruin My Day

USS Ronald Reagan - CVN-76 (2004) Gipper, The

USS Sailfish - S-199 Squailfish Former USS Squalus

USS Saint Paul - C?-?? Miss Pauline

USS Saint Paul - CA-73 (1945) African Queen, The

USS Saipan Shitcan

USS Salem Sea Witch

USS Salt Lake City Slave Labor Camp Play on initials.

USS Salt Lake City - CA-25 (1930) Old Swayback Oldest heavy cruiser in fleet.

One Ship Fleet Reputed to have fought more actions and sunk more enemy ships than any other surface unit in US Navy during WW2.

Queen Of The Seas

Sails Like Crazy Another WAG interpretation of what SLC stood for. Ship had poor handling characteristics.

SLC

Slick City Popular with crew, 'Swayback' was favored in fleet.

Swayback Maru Profile of interwar US cruisers suggested curvature of the spine.

Tinclad Generally applied to ships in class. Very lightly armored compared to subsequent designs.

Wallowing Ghost Ship had poor handling and rolled excessively.

USS Sam Houston - SSBN-609 (1962) Sammy Suck Butt

USS Samuel B. Roberts Sammy B

USS San Francisco - CA-38 Frisco Maru

USS San Francisco - CA-38 (1934) Frisco

USS San Jacinto - CG-56 (1988) San Jac

USS Sand Lance - SSN-660 (1971) Sandbar Maru After accidentally submerging at pier side & flooding the engine room.

USS Saratoga - CV-3 (1927) Old Sara

Sara

Ship of Happy Landings, The

Torpedo Junction play on popular song "Tuxedo Junction". CV-3 was torpedoed several times during WW2.

USS Saratoga - CV-60 (1956) Sara

Sinkin' Sarah

Sorry Sara It has been suggested that CV-60 was a maintenance problem compared to her sisters.

Sparrowtoga Accidentally fired a live Sea Sparrow missile at a Turkish ship during a joint exercise in 1992.

Sucking Sara

Sucking Sixty From Dixie When based in southern US.

USS Sarsfield - DD-837 (1945) Sorry Fucker

USS Scorpion - SSN-589 (1960) Scrap Iron "because of her poor material condition."

USS Seadragon - SSN-584 (1959) Shore Dragon Spent so much time in port she had a skirt of algae & seaweed around her waterline.

USS Seawolf - SSN-21 (1997) Building 21 Spent so much time in port she became a 'permanent' fixture.

Pierwolf Spent so much time in port she became a 'permanent' fixture.

USS Shangri-La - CV-38 (1944) Shang

Shitty Shang

USS Simon Lake Slimy Lake

USS South Dakota - BB-57 (1942) Battleship X When reporting her activities in 1942 Navy department would not reveal her name, so she was labeled "Battleship 'X'" in newspapers.

Big Bastard

Black Prince, The

Dirty Dick Applied by crew of USS Washington BB-56, who did not think SD was a very tight ship.

Old Nameless Inspired by the 'Battleship X' appellation.

Shitty Dick Again, reportedly from crew of Washington, who felt that South Dakota was given (or had taken) unfair credit for the victory in the 2nd Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, at Washington's expense.

SoDak

USS Springfield - CL-66 (1944) Spring a Leak

USS Spruance - DD-963 (1975) Sprucan Also used generically to refer to any ship of this class.

USS St. Louis - CL-49 Lucky Lou Was able to get under way and clear Pearl Harbor during attack.

USS Talladega - APA-208 (1944) Tremblin' T, The Damaged shaft/propeller caused ship to shake.

USS Tarawa - LHA-1 (1976) Eagle of The Sea, The

USS Tautog - SSN-639 (1968) Tag Out Anagram.

USS Taylor - DD-468 (1942) Terrible T

USS Tecumseh - SSBN-628 (1964) T-Cup

USS Tennessee - BB-43 (1920) Big T

Big Tenn

Rebel Ship

Ridge Runner, The

Tenny

Tenny Maru

Volunteer State Battlewagon, The

USS Texas - ACR-2 (1895) Old Hoodoo Hoodoo generally means bad luck. Ship reportedly had poor handling and low rate of fire. 'Hoodoo' also appears to be a term that appears quite frequently in Texas culture and history. Reputation for accidents, including groundings and once actually sinking at pier-side.

USS Texas - BB-35 Big T

USS Thach - FFG-43 (1984) Snatch

USS Theodore Roosevelt - CVN-71 (1986) Big Stick

USS Theodore Roosevelt - SSBN-600 (1961) Building 600 Spent 2 years in yard, became 'permanent fixture.'

USS Thomas S. Gates - CG-51 Tommy the Tugboat

USS Ticonderoga - CG-47 (1983) Tico

USS Ticonderoga - CV-14 (1944) Big T

T, The

Tico

Tiger

USS Tripoli - LPH-10 (1966) Cripoli

USS Truxtun Goddam Ugly Ship

USS Tullibee - SSN-597 (1960) Building 597

Tulibeast, The

USS Tunny - SSN-682 (1974) Funny Tunny

Tuna Boat

USS Valley Forge - CV-45 (1946) Death Valley Devastating fire during Korea war.

Happy Valley

USS Vincennes - CG-49 (1985) Robocruiser Reference to highly automated Aegis missile system and, reportedly, to the 'aggressive tendencies of its captain' (Vincennes shot down a civilian airliner in 1986.)

Vinnie

USS Virginia War Pig, The

USS Von Stueben - SSBN-632 (1964) Von Stupid

Voo Doo

USS Wabash Ball Rash

USS Wainwright - CG-28 (1966) Wain Pig

USS Washington - BB-56 (1941) Mighty W, The

Rusty W "wasn't in port long enough to get new paint and got very rusty"

USS Wasp - CV-18 (1943) Mighty Stinger, The

Stinger

USS West Virginia - BB-48 (1923) Mountaineer Battlewagon, The

Old Task Force 58

WeeVee

USS West Virginia - SSN-736 (1990) By God West "By God" Virginia

Silent Mountaineer, The

USS White Plains - AFS-4 (1968) Orient Express, The

USS Willamette - AO-180 (1982) We'll Ram It Was involved in 2 collisions in a single year.

USS William D. Porter - DD-579 (1943) Willie Dee

USS William H. Standley - DLG-32 (1966) Standley Steamer

Steamer, The

Steamin' Standley

WHS

USS Wisconsin - BB-64 (1944) Whiskey

Whiskeypunch

WisKy Wisconsin's bow badly damaged in collision in mid-50s. Damaged section replaced with equivalent section of bow of unfinished sister-ship USS Kentucky BB-66.

USS Witek - DD-848 (1946) Galloping Ghost of the Long Island Coast, The

USS Yellowstone - AD-41 (1980) Jellystone

Love Boat, The

Old Faithful

USS Yorktown - CV-10 (1943) Battling Bitch, The

Fighting Lady, The

Lucky Lady

USS Yorktown - CV-5 (1937) Fighting Lady, The

Old York

Old Yorky

Waltzing Matilda Australian nickname, inspired by ship's frequent presence in near Australian waters during 1942.