World of Warships Name Guide

Have you ever played World of Warships and wondered why a ship was named
this way ? Me too, so I made this guide, trying to explain and regroup all the
names of the playable ships in the game in a single place.

Please note:
- This is not an official guide.
- English isn’t my first language. If I worded things weirdly or incorrectly,
feel free to let me know.
- This guide isn’t complete and might contains factual errors and or
typos. Feel free to help me complete it or correct it.
- I’m no graphic designer but I tried to make this clear and easy to read.
All feedback will be appreciated.
- I’ll try to update this as much as I can.

Hope you find what you are looking for and learn a thing or two !
 French ships

Cruisers :
I - Bougainville : named after Louis Antoine de Bougainville, a 18th century Admiral and
explorer.
II - Jurien de la Gravière, named after one of the many officers of the same family that has a
great and long tradition of being admirals
III - Friant : named after Louis Friant a simple son of a waxer that became a General under
Napoleon.
IV - Duguay-Trouin : named after famous corsair René Duguay-Trouin
V - Emile Bertin : named after naval engineer Louis-Emile Bertin who also worked as an
advisor to the japanese imperial navy in the late 19th century.
VI - La Galissonnière : named after Roland-Michel Barrin de la Galissonnière a french naval
commander, statesman, diplomat and explorer.
VII - Algérie, named after the former french colony and now independent country Algeria
VIII - Charles Martel : named after the Frankish military leader of the same name
IX - Saint Louis : named after King of France Louis IX (see what they did there ?)
X - Henri IV : named after King of France Henry IV also known as Henry the Great

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VI - De Grasse : named after Admiral François Joseph Paul de Grasse
VIII - Bayard : named after Pierre Terrail (Lord) of Bayard also known as the Knight of
Bayard or the Good Knight
X - Colbert : named after navy ministry Jean-Baptiste Colbert

Battleships :
III - Turenne : named after Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Viscount of Turenne a great
General
IV - Courbet : named after French Admiral Amédée Courbet, not to be confused with the
painter Gustave Courbet
V - Bretagne, named after the western region of France, known in english as Brittany
VI - Normandie, named after the famous region of France, just on top of Brittany : Normandy
VII - Lyon : named after the french city of Lyon
VIII - Richelieu : named after the famous and fascinating Cardinal Richelieu, a statesman
during the 17th century.
IX - Alsace : named after the eastern region of France of the same name
X - République : named after the French Republic, a state of power. It’s also a tribute to an
earlier class of pre-dreadnought battleships named République

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VI - Dunkerque : named after the northern french city of Dunkirk
VIII - Gascogne : named after the olden southwestern region of France, Gascony
IX - Jean Bart : named after the famous 17th century privateer of the same name
X - Bourgogne : named after the the french region of Burgundy

Destroyers :
II - Enseigne Gabolde : named after Ensign Jean Gabolde, a french navy officer that died on
battleship Liberté in 1911
III - Fusiller : french for Rifleman
IV - Bourrasque : french for a Gust of Wind
V - Jaguar : a transparent word. It is named after the big south american cat
VI - Guépard : french for Cheetah (yay to big cats)
VII - Vauquelin : named after Jean Vauquelin
VIII - Le Fantasque : this one can be translated as The Capricious.
IX - Mogador : is the old name of the Moroccan city of Essaouira
X - Kléber : named after architect and General Jean-Baptiste Kléber

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V - Siroco : a hot wind coming from the Sahara over the mediterranean sea.
VI - Aigle : french for Eagle.
VIII - Le Terrible : french for The Terrible One / The Dreadful One
 US Ships :

Cruisers : (Note: every US cruiser is named after a US city. There are many instances of
the same city name being used in different states, I tried to tied the correct ship to the correct
city)

I- Erie : named after the city of Erie, Pennsylvania

II - Chester : named after the city Chester, Pennsylvania
III - St Louis : named after the city of St Louis, Missouri
IV - Phoenix : named after the city of Phoenix, Arizona
V - Omaha : named after the city of Omaha, Nebraska
VI - Pensacola, named after the city of Pensacola, Florida
VII - New Orleans, named after the city of New Orleans, Louisiana
VIII - Baltimore, named after the city of Baltimore, Maryland
IX - Buffalo, named after the city of Buffalo, New York
X - Des Moines, named after the city of Des Moines, Iowa

Cruisers Split :
VI - Dallas, named after the city of Dallas, Texas
VII - Helena, probably named after Helena, Montana
VIII - Cleveland, named after the city of Cleveland, Ohio
IX - Seattle, named after the city of Seattle, Washington
X - Worcester, named after the city of Worcester, Massachusetts

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II - Albany : named after the city of Albany, New York
III - Charleston : named after the city of Charleston, South Carolina
V - Marblehead : named after the city of Marblehead, Massachusetts
VII - Atlanta : named after the city of Atlanta, Georgia
VII - Boise, named after the city of Boise, Idaho
VII - Flint, named after the city of Flint, Michigan
VII - Indianapolis : named after the city of Indianapolis, Indiana
VIII - Montpellier : named after the city of Montpellier, Vermont
VIII - Wichita : named after the city of Wichita, Kansas
IX - Alaska is a cruiser in the game but the US navy named her after the Territory of Alaska
(it wasn’t a State before 1959), and not after a city, because she’s not really a cruiser.
X - Salem : named after the city of Salem, Massachusetts

Destroyers :
II - Sampson : named after navy rear admiral William T. Sampson
III - Wickes : named after Captain Lambert Wickes
IV - Clemson : named after Henry A. Clemson
V - Nicholas : probably named after Captain Samuel Nicholas first commander of the US
Marine Corps
VI - Farragut : named after David Farragut first admiral of the US Navy
VII - Mahan : named after legendary geostrategist and author of the Mahan Doctrine, Alfred
Thayer Mahan of course
VIII - Benson : named after William S. Benson
IX - Fletcher : named after Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher
X - Gearing : named after the Gearing Family

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II - Smith : named after navy Lieutenant Joseph B. Smith
V - Hill : named after Edwin J. Hill
VI - Monaghan : named after John R. Monaghan
VII - Sims : named after William Sims
VIII - Kidd : named after Isaac C. Kidd
IX - Black : named after Hugh David Black
IX - Benham : named after Andrew E. K. Benham
X - Sommers : named after Richard Somers

Battleships : (note, every US BB in the game are named after a US state so I won’t bother
explaining them individually)

Carriers :
IV - Langley : named after astronomer, physicist, inventor & aviation pioneer Samuel
Pierpont Langley
VI - Ranger : Named after Captain John Paul Jones’ ship, USS Ranger from the American
Revolution
VIII - Lexington : named after the Battle of Lexington
X - Midway : named after the Battle of Midway

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VIII - Enterprise, a traditional name for a ship in the US navy.
VIII - Saipan : named after the Battle of Saipan
 IJN ships :

Cruisers :
I - Hashidate : named after the scenic sandbar bridge
II - Chikuma : named after Chikuma River
III - Tenryu : Heaven’s Dragon, named after the Tenryu river
IV - Kuma : Wounded Valley, named after the Kuma river
V - Furutaka : Older Falcon, named after the mountain of the same name
VI - Aoba : Green Leaf, named after a mountain
VII - Myoko : named after a mountain
VIII - Mogami : named after the Mogami river
IX - Ibuki : named after the Mount Ibuki
X - Zao : named after the beautiful Mount Zao

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III - Katori : named after the river now known as Tone
IV- Iwaki : named after the Iwaki river
IV - Yubari “ Origin at the hot springs “ a river in Hokkaido
V - Yahagi “ Fletcher “ or Arrow Maker, named after the Yahagi river
VII - Ashigara : named after a mountain
VII - Haguro : named after a mountain
VII - Nachi : named after a mountain
VIII - Atago : named after a mountain in Kyoto
VIII - Takao “ High Hero “ a mountain. Very popular nowadays, easy to climb from Tokyo.
IX - Azuma : probably named after Mount Azuma
X - Yoshino : probably named after Mount Yoshino

Destroyers :
II - Umikaze : Sea Breeze
III - Wakatake : Bambou Sprout
IV - Isokaze : Beach Wind
V - Mutsuki : Month (moon) of First Rice-Sowing
VI - Fubuki : Snowstorm
VII - Akatsuki : Dawn
VIII - Kagero : “Glimmering Spring Air", or "The Shimmering Mist that Rises from the Earth
on a Hot Day"
IX - Yugumo : Evening Clouds
X - Shimakaze : Island Wind

Destroyers Split :
V - Minekaze : Summit Wind
VI - Hatsuharu : Spring Rains
VII - Shiratsuyu : Shimmering Dew
VIII - Akizuki : Autumn Moon
IX - Kitakaze : North Wind ?
X - Harugumo : Spring Cloud

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II - Tachibana : Orange (the fruit)
V - Kamikaze : Divine Wind
V - Fujin : named after the Shinto God of Wind and it’s a pun on the kanjis as they are the
same as Kamikaze but inverted (from 神風 to 風神) as they are clones in the game.
VI - Shinonome : Morning Twilight or Daybreak Clouds
VII - Yudachi : Evening Thunder Shower in Summer
VIII - Asashio : Morning Hide Tide
VIII - Harekaze Sunny Wind
VIII - Yukikaze : Snowy Wind

Battleships :
III - Kawachi : named after the province
IV - Myogi : named after Mount Myogi
V - Kongo : “ Stability “ named after Mount Kongo
VI - Fuso : “ Land of Divine Mulberry Trees “ named after Fusang, a classical name of Japan
VII - Nagato : named after the province
VIII - Amagi : named after Mount Amagi
IX - Izumo : named after the province
X - Yamato : ancient name for Japan and province

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II - Mikasa : named after Mount Mikasa
IV - Ishizuchi : probably named after Mount Ishizuchi
V - Kirishima : “ Misty Island “ named after the volcano Mount Kirishima
V - Haruna : named after Mount Haruna
V - Hei : “ the cold “ named after Mount Hei
VI - Mutsu : named after the province
VII - Ashitaka : named after Mount Ashitaka
VIII - Kii : named after the province
IX - Musashi : named after the province

Carriers :
IV - Hosho : Flying Phoenix / Diving Phoenix
VI - Ryujo : Dragon Horse / Sacred Dragon
VIII - Shokaku : Crane Flying in Heaven
X - Hakuryu : White/Shimmering Dragon ?
 Premium Carrier :
VIII - Kaga : “ Increased Joy “ laid down as a battleship, named after the province of Kaga
 German ships

Cruisers :
I - Hermelin : german for stoat or ermine
II - Dresden : named after the city of Dresden
III - Kolberg : named after the city now known as Kolobrzeg
IV - Karlsruhe : named after the city of Karlsruhe
V - Königsberg : named after the city of Koenigsberg now known as Kaliningrad
VI - Nürnberg : named after the city of Nuremberg
VII - Yorck : named after Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg
VIII - Admiral Hipper : named after Admiral Franz Ritter von Hipper
IX - Roon : named after Albrecht Theodor Emil Graf von Roon
X - Hindenburg : named after Paul von Hindenburg

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II - Emden : named after the city of Emden
VI - Admiral Graf Spee : named after Maximilian von Spee
VIII - Prinz Eugen : named after Prince Eugene of Savoy
IX - Siegfried : probably named after mythological hero Siegfried also known as Sigurd

Destroyers :
II - V-25 : V is for the shipbuilder “ Vulkan “
III - G-101 : G is for the shipbuilder “ Germaniawerft “
IV - V-170
V - T-22 : T is for Torpedoboot
VI - Ernst Gaede : named after artillery officer Ernst Gaede
VII - Leberecht Maass : named after Konteradmiral Leberecht Maass
VIII - Z-23 : Z is for Zerstörer, german for Destroyer.
IX - Z-46
X - Z-52

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VI - T-61
VII - Z39

Battleships
III - Nassau : named after the Duchy of Nassau a former independant german state
IV - Kaiser : german for Emperor
V - König : german for King
VI - Bayern : named after the kingdom of Bavaria
VII - Gneisenau : named after August Neidhardt von Gneisenau
VIII - Bismarck : named after Otto von Bismarck
IX - Friedrich der Grosse : named after Frederick the Great also known as Frederick II
X - Grosser Kurfürst : german for Great Elector, a nickname for Frederick William " Der
Grosser Kurfurst " and a tribute to a former König class battleship that wore the same name

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III - König Albert : named after King Albert of Saxony
VI - Prinz Eitel Friedrich : named after Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia
VII - Scharnhorst : named after Gerhard von Scharnhorst
VIII - Tirpitz : named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz

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VIII - Graf Zeppelin : named after Ferdinand von Zeppelin
 Russian/Soviet Ships

Cruisers
I - Orlan : russian for sea eagle
II - Novik : is a name passed from ships to ships in the russian Navy.
III - Bogatyr : character from slavic legends, like a knight errant or ronin.
IV - Svietlana : very popular russian name for girls ?
V - Kirov : named after Sergey Kirov
VI - Budyonny : named after Marshal Semyon Budyonny
VII - Shchors : named after Nikolay Shchors
VIII - Chapayev : named after Vasily Chapayev
IX - Dmitri Donskoi : named after Dmitry Donskoy
X - Moskva : russian for the city of Moscow

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II - Diana : probably named after Diana, the Roman goddess
III - Aurora : named afte the goddess
III - Oleg : probably named after Oleg of Novgorod
III - Varyag : russian for Varangians, an old name given to vikings.
V - Murmansk : named after the city Murmansk
V - Krasny Krym : russian for Red Crimea
VI - Admiral Makarov : named after Stepan Makarov
VI - Molotov : named after Minister Vyacheslav Molotov
VII - Lazo : probably named after Sergey Lazo
VIII - Mikhail Kutuzov : named after the man of the same name
IX - Kronshtadt : named after the city of Kronstadt
X - Stalingrad : named after the city now known as Volgograd
X - Smolensk : named after the city of Smolensk

Destroyers
II - Storozhevoi : russian for Protective
III - Derzki : russian for Impertinent
IV - Izyaslav : probably named after Iziaslav I of Kiev
V - Podvoidsky : probably named after Nikolai Podvoisky
VI - Gnevny : russian for Wrathful
VII - Minsk : named after the capital of Belarus
VIII - Kiev : named after the capital of Ukraine
IX - Tashkent : named after the capital of Uzbekistan
X - Khabarovsk : named after the city of the same name

Destroyers Split
VIII - Ognevoi : russian for Fiery
IX - Udaloi : russian for Bold
X - Grozovoi : russian for Thunderstorm

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V - Gremyashchy : russian for Thunderous
V - Okhotnik : russian for Hunter
VII - Leningrad : named after the city now known as Saint Petersburg
IX - Neustrashimy : russian for Dauntless

Battleships
III - Knyaz Suvorov : named after Prince Alexander Suvorov
IV - Gangut : named after the Battle of Gangut
V - Pyotr Velikiy : named after Peter the Great
VI - Izmail : named after the Battle of Izmail
VII - Sinop : named after the Battle of Sinop
VIII - Vladivostok : named after the eastern city of Vladivostok
IX - Sovetsky Soyouz : russian for Soviet Union, from USSR for example.
X - Kreml : or Kremlin, russian for castle or fort

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IV - Imperator Nikolai I : named after Emperor Nicholas I of Russia
V - Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiya : russian for October Revolution
VIII - Lenin : named after Vladimir Lenin of course
X - Slava : russian for Glory
 Royal Navy

Cruisers
I - Black Swan : named after the waterbird
II - Weymouth : named after the city of Weymouth
III - Caledon : named after Caledon, Ontario in Canada
IV - Danae : named after the mythological Danae, mother of Perseus
V - Emerald : may be named after the gemstone ?
VI - Leander : named after greek myth of Hero and Leander
VII - Fiji : named after the Colony of Fiji
VIII - Edinburgh : named after the city of Edinburgh
IX - Neptune : named after the roman god of ocean
X - Minotaur : named after the mythical beast

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V - Exeter : named after the city of Exeter
VII - Belfast : named after the city of Belfast

Destroyers
II - Medea : named after the greek mythological figure Medea
III - Valkyrie : named after the mythological women warriors
IV - Wakeful
V - Acasta : probably named after Acaste the Nymph
VI - Icarus : named after the greek myth of Icarus
VII - Jervis : named after Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis
VIII - Lightning
IX - Jutland : named after the Battle of Jutland
X - Daring

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III - Campbeltown : “ All of the ships received from the destroyers for bases agreement
where named after Towns that have a namesake in both the USA and the British
commonwealth, so is technically named after both Campbelltown, Pennsylvania and
Campbeltown in Scotland “
VI - Gallant
VIII - Cossack : named after the slavic people

Battleships
III - Bellerophon : named after mythological greek hero Bellerophon
IV - Orion : named after mythological huntsman and constellation Orion
V - Iron Duke : named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
VI - Queen Elizabeth : named after Elizabeth I of England
VII - King George V : named after George V
VIII - Monarch
IX - Lion
X - Conqueror

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III - Dreadnought : means “ a fearless person “
VI - Warspite : probably named after the Elizabethan spelling Warspight, a name used for a
woodpecker. So the Warspite would poke hole into his enemies wooden hulls.
VII - Duke of York : named after George VI, Duke of York
VII - Hood : named after Admiral Samuel Hood
VII - Nelson : named after legendary Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson
VIII - Vanguard : The vanguard is the leading part of an advancing military formation

Carriers
IV - Hermes : named after the greek god Hermes
VI - Furious
VIII - Implacable
X - Audacious

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VIII - Indomitable
 Pan Asian

Cruiser
I - Chengan

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VI - Huanghe : named after the Yellow River
VIII - Irian : historial name for New Guinea

Destroyers
II - Longjiang : chinese for Dragon River, might be also named after a river, a city or a
province...
III - Phra Ruang
IV - Shenyang : named after the city of Shenyang
V - Jianwei : maybe named after the Battle of Jianwei
VI - Fushun : named after the city of Fushun
VII - Gadjah Mada : named after Javanese hero Gajah Mada
VIII - Hsienyang
IX - Chung Mu
X - Yueyang : named after the city of Yueyang ?

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VI - Anshan : named after the city of Anshan
VIII - Lo Yang
 Italy

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V - Giulio Cesare : named after Roman emperor Julius Caesar
VI - Leone : italian for Lion
VI - Duca D’Aosta : named after Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta
VI - Duca degli Abruzzi : named after Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi
VIII - Roma : named after the italian capital Rome

Commonwealth

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III - Vampire
VI - Perth : named after the city of Perth
VII - Haida : named after the nation and ethnic group

Poland

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VII - Blyskawica : polish for Lightning
 Pan American

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VII - Nueve de Julio : spanish for 9th of July, the Argentinian Day of Independence

Nation TBA :

V - Viribus Unitis : latin for With United Forces, the motto of Emperor Franz Joseph I of
Austria
IX - Friesland : named after the province in Netherlands