Ship Name Histories - Database of histories of ship names beginning with letter F.

Name Origin: In Celtic folklore, little airy spirits of wood and wold.

Name Origin: Falcon.

Name Origin: Falcon

Falster

Name Origin: One of the islands of Denmark to the south of Zealand between Laaland and Moen.

Fanfare

Name Origin: Flourish of trumpets.

Fanion

Name Origin: Flag or pendant used to denote the presence of a General Officer in the field or in camp.

Name Origin: Fancy

Fantassin

Name Origin: Foot soldier.

Name Origin: Commemorates the capture of the French sloop Fantome, 18, in 1810.

Farfadet

Name Origin: Elf, goblin.

Name Origin: A small village in Portuguese Guinea.

Name Origin: The capital of the province of the Algarves.

Name Origin: Conqueror (Arabic).  In this case specially referring to Mohamed II, the Conqueror.

Faucon

Name Origin: Falcon.

Fauconneau

Name Origin: A small cannon in use in the sixteenth century, throwing a ball of about one pound in weight.

Name Origin: (Victoria)-One of the founders of the present State of Victoria.  In 1835 he sent out a small ship with settlers from Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) to form a settlement on the site of what is now the city of Melbourne, following with his family a few months later.  He died in 1869.

Fei-Ying

Name Origin: Flying eagle.

Name Origin: “The gift of the Creator” (Arabic).

Name Origin: Ferdinand II, surnamed the Catholic, King of Aragon, born 1452, and 1516, became King of Siciliy in 1468.  He married Isabella, Queen of Castille and Leon, and their joint reign began the era of Spain’s greatness.  Ferdinand increased the powers of the Crown; the Inquisition into his dominions placed it under the control of the Crown.  During his reign the Moors were driven out of Spain, Columbus discovered America, the Spanish frontier advanced to the Pyrences, and Naples conquered.  His youngest daughter, Catherine of Aragon, married Henry VIII of England.

Ferrer

Name Origin: “Sublime victory” (Arabic-Persian).

Name Origin: Ettore Fieramosca, the hero of a well known historical novel by Massimo Azzeglio, called Disfida di Barletta.

Filibutier

Name Origin: Filibuster.

Name Origin: Inhabitant of Finland.

Name Origin: Originally Fishguard.  On February 22^nd 1797, a French squadron of four vessels landed in Fishguard Bay, Pembroke, some 1300 criminals, armed and dressed as soldiers, with orders to ravish the country, destroy Bristol, and attack Liverpool.  The Sea-Fencibles, Militia, and Yeomanry, led by the first Lord Cawdor, speedily captured them.  Tradition says that the Frenchmen mistook the Welsh women, who accompanied the local forces in their tall hats and red cloaks, for additional soldiers.  On March 9^th, the San Fiorenzo, 36, Captain Sir Harry Neale, and the Nymphe, 36, Captain J. Cooke, fell in with the Resistance, 40, and the Constance, 22, two of the above mentioned French squadron, on their way back to Brest and captured them.  The Resistance was added to the Royal Navy under the name of Fishguard, later altered to Fisgard.

Flamberge

Name Origin: Old term for the long double-handed sword.

Name Origin: A mariner, native of Amalfi, who lived about 1300 A.D., and who is credited with being the inventor of the mariner’s compass.

Name Origin: Arrow.

Fleche

Name Origin: Arrow.

Fleuret

Name Origin: Foil (weapon).

Name Origin: The Roman goddess of flowers and plants.  The first ship to bear this name was the French frigate Vestale, captured by the Unicorn, January 8^th 1761.  She was added to the royal Navy as the Flora.

Floreal

Name Origin: “Month of flowers.”  The eighth month of the New Calendar instituted by the First French Republic on September 22^nd 1792, and which continued in use until Napoleon reintroduced the Gregorian Calendar on January 1^st 1806.

Name Origin: One of the Dutch Sunda Islands.

Name Origin: A volcano on the island of Boeroe- one of the Moluccas.

Foo-Po

Name Origin: The title given to a General in the third century who conquered tribes bordering the south of China.

Forban

Name Origin: Corsair, sea rover.

Forbin

Name Origin: Claude chevalier de Forbin, born 1656, died 1733, an intrepid seamen, who fought under Duquesne in 1676 against De Ruyter at the battle of Messina, and in the subsequent siege of Agosta.  In 1683 he assisted at the bombardment of Algiers./  In 1685 he accompanied a French Embassy to Siam, where he remained for two years in command of the Siamese sea and land forces.  Together with Jean Bart he broke out of Dunkirk in 1689, and was captured by the English, and together with him escaped from Plymouth in an open boat across the Channel.  In 1690 forbin fought under Tourville at the battle off Beachy Head in 1692 at the battle of La Hogue, and in 1693 he took part in the action off Lagos, when a large English convoy was captured.  During the war of the Spanish Succession he was sent into the Adriatic, where he destroyed much Venetian shipping; in 1706 and 1707, under Dugay trouin’s orders, forbin harried the English and Dutch trade in the North Seas, destroying and capturing 180 vessels.  In 1708 he was placed in command of the unsuccessful expedition which was sent to Scotland in aid of the Pretender, and having fallen into disgrace at home in consequence, he retired from active service.

Name Origin: Trout.

Name Origin: Commemorates the capture of the French 80-gun ship, Formidable, flying the flag of Rear Admiral St. Andre du Verger, by the Resolution, 74, captured Henry Speke, and several others in the battle of Quiberon Bay, November 20^th 1759, where Sir Edward Hawke inflicted a crushing defeat upon Admiral de Conflans.  The ship was added to the Royal Navy under her own name.  The Resolution was wrecked on the same day immediately afterwards.

Formidable

Name Origin: French (fem) for “strong.”  The ship name commemorates the capture of the French 44-gun frigate forte on February 28^th 1799, off the Sand Heads, Bay of Bengal, by the Sybille, Captain Edward Cook, who was mortally wounded in the action.  The ship was added to the Royal Navy under her own name.

Name Origin: A river in Scotland flowing into the firth of that name.

The first “FORWARD” was a 12-gun brig, launched at Berwick in 1804.  She was of 179 tons, and carried a crew of 50 men.  Her length, beam, and draught were 80ft., 22ft., and 7ft.  On April 23^rd, 1808, the “FORWARD”, commanded by Lieutenant David Shiels, towed in and co-operated with the boats of the “Daphne” and “Tartarus” in an attack on a Danish convoy which had taken shelter at Fladstrand.  Several laden vessels of the convoy were successfully captured and carried off from under the guns of a Danish fort, with a loss of only five wounded.  On July 9^th, 1810, the “Forward” was escorting a convoy in the Skaggerack when they were attacked by five Danish brigs.  Forty-eight of the merchantmen were taken, but the “Forward” managed to escape.    In October 6^th, 1813, the “Forward”, commanded by Lieutenant Richard Banks, having the “Barbara,” schooner, in company, observed an armed Danish vessel standing into an anchorage about four miles south of Wingo sound.  The “Forward” at once sent in a 5-oared gig with Lieutenant Banks, and the “Barbara” despatched a 4-oared boat.  At 9.15 p.m. they simultaneously attacked her on the starboard bow and port quarter.  A desperate conflict ensued, which ended in the capture of the Dane.  She turned out to be a cutter mounting one howitzer, and having on board at the commencement of the action twenty-five well armed men, of whom five were killed, and her Captain, a commander in the Danish Navy, badly wounded.  On the British side two men were killed, and three wounded.   In 1815 the “Forward” was sold. The second “FORWARD” was a 2-gun screw gunboat, launched at Northfleet in 1856.  She was of 236 tons, carried a crew of 36 men, and was of 60 horse-power.  Her length, beam, and draught were 108ft., 22ft., and 5ft. She was built too late for the Russian War.  In 1869 the “Forward” was sold at Esquimault for £110.The third “FORWARD” was a 4-gun screw gunboat, launched at Barrow in 1877.  She was of 455 tons, 450 horse-power, and 9 knots speed.  Her length, beam, and draught were 125ft., 24ft., and 10ft.   This vessel ended her career as a coal depot at Bermuda, and in 1903 she was sold for £400.The fourth “FORWARD” is a twin-screw scout, launched at Govan in 1904.  She is of 2850 tons, 15000 horse-power, and 25 knots speed.  Her length, beam, and draught are 365ft., 39ft., and 15ft. This vessels original name was “Nore,” but it was changed to “Forward” before launching.

Foudre

Name Origin: Lightning, thunderbolt.

Foxhound

The first “FOXHOUND” was an 18-gun brig sloop, launched at Dover in 1806.  She was of 385 tons, and carried a crew of 121 men.  Her length, beam, and draught were 100ft., 31ft., and 11ft. On March 17^th, 1809, the “Foxhound,” commanded by Commander Pitt Burnaby Greene, was one of a fleet of 6o vessels of various kinds, under Admiral Lord Gambier with his flag in “Caledonia,” which anchored off Basque Roads to attack the French fleet lying within.  A few days later Captain Lord Cochrane arrived in the “Imperieuse,” having been despatched by the Admiralty to command an attack by means of fireships and explosion vessels.  On April 11^th 12 fireships, accompanied by explosion vessels and escorted by men-of-war, made sail towards the harbour, and broke the boom under a heavy fire.  The “Foxhound” made a diversion off the Ile d’Aix at the same time.  The French fell into a great panic, cut their cables, and by midnight all except two had run ashore.  In the morning Captain Lord Cochrane signalled to Lord Gambierthat if half the fleet could be sent in the enemy would be completely destroyed.  Lord Gambier did not comply with the request.  The attack was renewed, and the two remaining French ships ran on shore in endeavouring to escape.  In spite of repeated signals Lord Gambier failed to send adequate support, but by 8 p.m. two French vessels had been captured, and two were blown up.  The attack was continued on the 13^th, and on the following day Lord Cochrane was recalled by Lord Gambier.  Cochrane returned to England, where he intimated that from his seat in Parliament he would oppose the passage of a vote of thanks to the Commander-in-Chief.  Lord Gambier demanded a court-martial, and was considered fortunate in securing an acquittal, and in eventually receiving the thanks from both Houses of Parliament.  Napoleon said that the French admiral was a fool, the English Commander-in-Chief no better, and that Lord Cochrane had not been properly supported.  Captain Lord Cochrane was made a K.B., and several officers were promoted.  The British lost only 8 killed and 24 wounded.    On August 31^st, 1809, the “Foxhound,” while commanded by Commander James McKenzie, foundered in the Atlantic, and was lost with all hands.The second “FOXHOUND” was the French 16-gun brig sloop “Le Basque,” captured in 1809.  She was of 384 tons, and carried a crew of 106 men.  Her length, beam, and draught were 95ft., 29ft., and 8ft.  In 1816 the “Foxhound” was sold.  The third “FOXHOUND” was a 4-gun screw gun vessel of 680 tons, launhed at Blackwall in 1856.  She had engines of 200 horse-power, and her length, beam, and draught were 181ft., 28ft., 8ft.    The fourth “FOXHOUND” was a 4-gun screw gunboat, launched at Barrow in 1877.  She was of 455 tons, 470 horse-power, and 10 knots speed.  Her length, beam, and draught were 125ft., 24ft., and 10ft.  In 1878 the “Foxhound,” commanded by Lieutenant William Henry Nowell, was one of squadron of seven ships which occupied the island of Cyprus under Vice-Admiral Lord John Hay with his flag in “Minotaur.”  This vessel was eventually converted to a coal haulabout at Devonport, after many years in the Coastguard service.  The fifth “FOXHOUND” is a turbine torpedo-boat destroyer, launched at Clydebank in 1910.  She is of 950 tons, 12,500 horse-power, and 27 knots speed.  Her length, beam, and draught are 265., 28^th., and 9ft.  In 1914 the “Foxhound,” commanded by Commander William G. Howard, was employed in various operations in the Mediterranean against the German and Austrian forces. 

Foyle

Name Origin: Irish river, formed by the confluence of the Fiun and Mourne at Lifford, and flowing into Lough Foyle.

Francais

Name Origin: Frenchman.

Name Origin: Born 1489, of a noble Florentine family, in 1527 he fought with the Florentine troops sent to help the King of France in the Kingdom of Naples.  He afterwards fought with Malatesta Baglioni, defended Empoli, and seized Volterra.  In 1530 Fabrizio Maramalda at Gavignano stabbed him to death in a skirmish with the army of the Prince of Orange.

Name Origin: A dodge of Venice who victoriously fought the Turks at sea.  He captured Patras, Lepanto, Corinth, Athens etc, in 1684; and in 1696, as well as in 1698, commanded further successful expeditions in Greek waters.

Francisque

Name Origin: Battle axe.

Name Origin: Arrow.

Fresia

Name Origin: Wife of Caupolican a great Chief of Caciques, who was killed by the Spanish invaders and conquerors.  In his poem “La Auracana,” Don Alonso de Ercilla represents her as a woman of lofty character and indomitable courage.

Name Origin: In Norse mythology the god of air and sunlight, brother of Freija, and like her, a god of love.

Friant

Name Origin: General Louis Friant, born 1758, died 1829.  He commanded a division of Bonaparte’s army during the Egyptian campaign, and distinguished himself at the battle of Heliopolis and the capture of Cairo 1798.  On his return he was made Inspectorm General of Infantry.  He fought in all Napoleon’s great battles, including Waterloo, was severely wounded during the campaign of 1812, and commanded the Young Guard in 1814.

Name Origin: A province of the Netherlands.  During the times of the Dutch Republic, Friesland, together with Groningen, was one of the seven United Provinces, and had its own Stadtholders, who belonged to the Nassau-Dietz branch of the Orange family.

Frimaire

Name Origin: - “Month of hoar frosts.”  The third month of the New Calendar instituted by the First French Republic on September 22^nd 1792, and which continued in use until Napoleon reintroduced and Gregorian Calendar on January 1^st 1806.

Fronde

Name Origin: Sling (weapon).

Fructidor

Name Origin: “Month of fruits.”  The twelfth month of the New Calendar instituted by the First French Republic on September 22^nd 1792, and which continued in use until Napoleon reintroduced the Gregorian Calendar on January 1^st 1806.

Name Origin: George Frundsberg, born 1473, died 1528, a famous leader of “Landslnechte,” mercenary foot troops of those times.  He fought for the Emperor Maximilian in the Netherlands and Italy, and was knighted by him in 1504.  In 1513 he defeated the Venetians at Vicenza, and in 1525 fought in the battle of Pavia against the French, in which their king, Francis I, was taken prisoner.  In 1526 he raised a body of 12,000 men at his own expense and rejoined the Imperial Army in Italy.  A mutiny breaking out amongst his men, Frundsberg took it so to heart, that it brought on a stroke of paralysis, to which he succumbed soon after.

Name Origin: Fuad Pasha, a statesman during the reign of Sultan Abdul Aziz.  He had received a European education and was a man of enlightened and advanced views.  He held the office of Grand Vizier three times.

Fubuki

Fuji

Fuku-Ryu

Name Origin: Lightning.

Name Origin: Fulminator.

Name Origin: Thunderbolt.

Fulton

Fumi-Tsuki

Furieux

Name Origin: Furious.

Fusee

Name Origin: Rocket.

Fushimi

Fuso

Fyen

Name Origin: Funen, next to Zealand the largest island of Denmark, separated from Zealand by the Great Belt and from the mainland by the Little Belt.