Navy Ship Names: Elements, Rules & Shipbuilding Plans

Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President and in accordance with rules prescribed by Congress. Rules for giving certain types of names to certain types of Navy ships have evolved over time. There have been exceptions to the Navy’s ship-naming rules, particularly for the purpose of naming a ship for a person when the rule for that type of ship would have called for it to be named for something else. Some observers in recent years have perceived a breakdown in, or corruption of, the rules for naming Navy ships. This book explores the Navy’s process for selecting names for its ships; with a focus on the planned size of the Navy; the rate of Navy ship procurement and the prospective affordability of the Navy’s shipbuilding plans.