Order Code RS22478
Updated June 5July 1, 2008
Navy Ship Names: Background For Congress
Ronald O’Rourke
Specialist in Naval Affairs
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Summary
Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the
Secretary of the Navy. Congress in recent years has proposed, and sometimes passed,
legislation regarding the naming of specific ships. This report will be updated when
events warrant.
Who Names Navy Ships?
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. For most of the 19th century, U.S. law included language
explicitly assigning the Secretary of the Navy the task of naming new Navy ships.1 The
1
A law approved in 1819 (Res. of March 3, 1819, §1, 3 Stat. 538, No. 7) stated “That all of the
ships of the navy of the United States, now building, or hereafter to be built, shall be named by
the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President of the United States” in accordance
with rules specifying that ships of the first class were to be named after states of the Union, and
second and third class ships were to be named, respectively, after rivers and principal cities and
towns. A law approved in 1858 (Act of June 12, 1858, c. 153, §5, 11 Stat. 319) provided a similar
rule for “steamships of the navy...,”except that third-class vessels (those with fewer than twenty
guns) were to be named by the Secretary of the Navy as the President may direct, taking care that
no two vessels in the Navy shall bear the same name.” Section 1531 of the Revised Statutes of
1873-1874, citing the 1819 and 1858 laws, states: “The vessels of the Navy shall be named by
the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President...” in accordance with rules similar
to those above, varying slightly depending on whether the vessel was a sailing ship or a
steamship. In 1898, Congress passed a law (Act of May 4, 1898, c. 234, 30 Stat. 390
[appropriations for the naval services]) prescribing rules for the naming of “first-class battle ships
and monitors,” which specified that these were to be named after States and “shall not be named
for any city, place, or persons until the names of the States, shall have been exhausted.” The
provision did not explicitly state whose duty it would be to assign names to vessels. Congress
repealed this provision in 1908 as it pertained to monitors, permitting those vessels to be named
“as the President may direct.” (Act of May 13, 1908, c. 166, 35 Stat. 159.)
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reference to the Secretary of the Navy disappeared from the U.S. Code in 1925.2 The Code
today (10 USC §7292) is silent on the issue of who has the authority to name new Navy
ships,3 but the Secretary of the Navy arguably retains implicit authority, given the location
of §7292 in subtitle C of Title 10, which covers the Navy and Marine Corps.
What Is Thethe Navy’s Process Forfor Selecting Names?
In discussing its name-selection process, the Navy cites the above-mentioned laws
and states:
As with many other things, the procedures and practices involved in Navy ship
naming are as much, if not more, products of evolution and tradition than of
legislation. As we have seen, the names for new ships are personally decided by the
Secretary of the Navy. The Secretary can rely on many sources to help him reach his
decisions. Each year, the Naval Historical Center compiles primary and alternate ship
name recommendations and forwards these to the Chief of Naval Operations by way
of the chain of command. These recommendations are the result of research into the
history of the Navy and by suggestions submitted by service members, Navy veterans,
and the public. Ship name source records at the Historical Center reflect the wide
variety of name sources that have been used in the past, particularly since World War
I. Ship name recommendations are conditioned by such factors as the name categories
for ship types now being built, as approved by the Secretary of the Navy; the
distribution of geographic names of ships of the Fleet; names borne by previous ships
which distinguished themselves in service; names recommended by individuals and
groups; and names of naval leaders, national figures, and deceased members of the
Navy and Marine Corps who have been honored for heroism in war or for
extraordinary achievement in peace.
In its final form, after consideration at the various levels of command, the Chief of
Naval Operations signs the memorandum recommending names for the current year'’s
building program and sends it to the Secretary of the Navy. The Secretary considers
these nominations, along with others he receives as well as his own thoughts in this
matter. At appropriate times, he selects names for specific ships and announces them.
While there is no set time for assigning a name, it is customarily done before the ship
is christened.4
2
The reference to the Secretary of the Navy found in §1531 of the Revised Statutes of 1873-1874
(see previous footnote) is absent from the U.S. Code of 1925, which covers Navy vessel names
in Title 34, §461-463.
3
34 USC §461-463 of the 1925 U.S. Code (see previous footnote) were later recodified as 10
USC §7292. 10 USC §7292 provides that battleships are to be “named for a State. However, if
the names of all the States are in use, a battleship may be named for a city, place, or person.” It
specifically authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to “change the name of any vessel bought for
the Navy,” §7292(c), but does not explicitly assign responsibility for ensuring that no two vessels
have the same name, §7292(a), or for naming battleships, §7292(b).
4
Naval Historical Center, “Ship Naming in the United States Navy,” available online at
(continued...)[http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq63-1.htm].
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Are There Naming Rules Forfor Ship Types?
Rules for giving certain types of names to certain types of Navy ships have evolved
over time. Attack submarines, for example, were once named for fish, then later for cities,
and most recently for states, while cruisers were once named for cities, then later for
states, and most recently for battles. The Navy states that while it “has attempted to be
systematic in naming its ships, like all institutions it has been subject to evolutionary
change, and the name sources of the Navy's ships have not been immune to this change.”5
For ship types now being procured for the Navy, current naming practices can be
summarized as follows:
!
!
!
!
!
!
!’s ships have not been immune to this change.”5
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.6 Some observers in recent years have
perceived a breakdown in, or corruption of, the rules for naming Navy ships.7 For
example, the three-ship Seawolf (SSN-21) class of attack submarines — Seawolf (SSN21), Connecticut (SSN-22), and Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) — were named for a fish, a state,
and a president, respectively, reflecting no apparent rule. For ship types now being
procured for the Navy, current naming practices can be summarized as follows:
!
!
!
!
!
!
5
The 10 most recently named aircraft carriers have been named for U.S.
presidents (8 ships) and Members of Congress (2 ships).6.8
Virginia (SSN-774) class attack submarines are being named for states.
The first DDG-1000 class destroyer has been named for Admiral Elmo
R. “Bud” Zumwalt, Jr., who was the Chief of Naval Operations from
1970 to 1974. This is consistent with past practice of naming U.S. Navy
destroyers for U.S. naval heroes and leaders.
Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) are being named for small and mediumsized cities. The Navy has named the first two LCSs Freedom and
Independence, after multiple U.S. cities with these names.
San Antonio (LPD-17) class amphibious ships are being named for
U.S. cities.
The Navy procured LHA-6, the first LHA Replacement, or LHA(R),
“big deck”
amphibious assault ship, also known as the LHA-6 class, in FY2007. The
previous eight Wasp (LHD-1) class big deck amphibious assault ships
were named for World War II-era Navy aircraft carriers and earlier Navy
ships.
Lewis and Clark (TAKE-1) class cargo and ammunition ships are
being named for legendary explorers.
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.7 The three-ship Seawolf (SSN-21) class of
attack submarines — Seawolf (SSN-21), Connecticut (SSN-22), and Jimmy Carter (SSN-
4
(...continued)
[http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq63-1.htm].
5
Ibid.
6
For further discussion, see Norman Polmar, “Misnaming Aircraft Carriers,” U.S. Naval Institute
Proceedings, September 2006: 30-31.
7 amphibious assault ship, in FY2007. The Navy announced on
June 27, 2008, that LHA-6 would be named America, a name previously
used for an aircraft carrier (CV-66) that served in the Navy from 1965 to
Ibid.
6
Ohio (SSBN-726) class ballistic missile submarines, for example, were named for states, but
one (SSBN-730) was named for Senator Henry "Scoop"“Scoop” Jackson of Washington, who died in
office in 1983. Los Angeles (SSN-688) class attack submarines were named for cities, but one
(SSN-709) was named for Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, the longtime director of the Navy'’s
nuclear propulsion program. Ticonderoga (CG-47) class cruisers were named for battles, but one
(CG-51) was named for Thomas S. Gates, a former Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of
Defense.
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23) — were named for a fish, a state, and a president, respectively, reflecting no apparent
rule. Some observers in recent years have perceived a breakdown in, or corruption of, the
rules for naming Navy ships.8
Can Ships Be Named For
7
See, for example, Donald R. Bouchoux, “The Name Game,” U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings,
March 2000: 110-111, and Norman Polmar, The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft
of the U.S. Fleet, 18th edition. Annapolis (MD), Naval Institute Press, 2005. p. 241.
8
For further discussion, see Norman Polmar, “Misnaming Aircraft Carriers,” U.S. Naval Institute
Proceedings, September 2006: 30-31.
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!
1996. The previous eight Wasp (LHD-1) class big deck amphibious
assault ships were named for World War II-era Navy aircraft carriers and
earlier Navy ships.
Lewis and Clark (TAKE-1) class cargo and ammunition ships are
being named for legendary explorers.
Can Ships Be Named for Living Persons?
The Navy historically has named few ships for living persons. As shown in Table
1, since the 1970s, at least 10 U.S. military ships have been named for persons who were
living at the time the name was announced.
Table 1. Ships Named For Persons Who Were Living At The Time
Ship type
Hull number Ship name
Procured
In service
Aircraft carrier
CVN-70
Carl Vinson
FY1974
1982
Attack submarine
SSN-709
Hyman G. Rickover
FY1974
1984
Destroyer
DDG-51
Arleigh Burke
FY1985
1991
Aircraft carrier
CVN-74
John C. Stennis
FY1988
1995
Sealift ship
TAKR-300
Bob Hope
FY1993
1998
Aircraft carrier
CVN-76
Ronald Reagan
FY1995
2003
Destroyer
DDG-94
Nitze
FY1999
2005
Attack submarine
SSN-23
Jimmy Carter
FY1996
2005
Aircraft carrier
CVN-77
George H.W. Bush
FY2001
2008
Destroyer
DDG-108
Wayne E. Meyer
FY2004
2009
Aircraft carrier
Attack submarine
Destroyer
Aircraft carrier
Sealift ship
Aircraft carrier
Destroyer
Attack submarine
Aircraft carrier
Destroyer
Hull number
CVN-70
SSN-709
DDG-51
CVN-74
TAKR-300
CVN-76
DDG-94
SSN-23
CVN-77
DDG-108
Ship name
Carl Vinson
Hyman G. Rickover
Arleigh Burke
John C. Stennis
Bob Hope
Ronald Reagan
Nitze
Jimmy Carter
George H.W. Bush
Wayne E. Meyer
Procured
FY1974
FY1974
FY1985
FY1988
FY1993
FY1995
FY1999
FY1996
FY2001
FY2004
In service
1982
1984
1991
1995
1998
2003
2005
2005
2008
2009
Source: Compiled by CRS. SSN-23 was originally procured in FY1992. Its procurement was
suspended,
and then reinstated in FY1996.
What Is Thethe Public’s Role in Naming Ships?
Members of the public are sometimes interested in having Navy ships named for
their own states or cities, for older U.S. Navy ships (particularly those on which they or
their relatives served), for battles in which they or their relatives participated, or for
people they admire. Citizens with such an interest sometimes contact the Navy, the
Department of Defense, or Congress seeking support for their proposals.
What Is Congress’s Role Inin Naming Ships?
Congress has long maintained an interest in how Navy ships are named,9 and has
influenced the naming of certain Navy ships. For example, one source states that “[the
aircraft carriers] CVN 72 and CVN 73 were named prior to their start [of construction],
in part to preempt potential congressional pressure to name one of those ships for Admiral
8
See, for example, Donald R. Bouchoux, “The Name Game,” U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings,
March 2000: 110-111, and Norman Polmar, The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft
of the U.S. Fleet, 18th edition. Annapolis (MD), Naval Institute Press, 2005. p. 241.
9
For example, the 1819 and 1858 laws cited in footnote 1 set forth naming rules for certain kinds
of ships. Today, 10 USC §7292(b) still requires that battleships (which the United States has not
built since World War II) be named after states.
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H.G. Rickover ([instead,] the [attack submarine] SSN 709 was named for the admiral).”10
Another example was a rivalry of sorts in Congress between those who supported naming
the aircraft carrier CVN-76 for president Truman and those who supported naming it for
president Reagan; the issue was effectively resolved by a decision announced by President
Clinton in February 1995 to name one carrier (CVN-75) for Truman and another (CVN76) for Reagan.11 One press report suggests that the decision to name CVN-77 for
President George H. W. Bush may have been influenced by a congressional suggestion.12
Section 1012 of the FY2007 defense authorization act (H.R. 5122/P.L. 109-364 of
October 17, 2006), expressed the sense of the Congress that the aircraft carrier CVN-78
should be named for President Gerald R. Ford, and the Navy announced on January 16,
2007, that CVN-78 would be so named. The Navy suggests that Congressional offices
wishing to express support for proposals to name a Navy ship for a specific person, place,
or thing contact the office of the Secretary of the Navy to make their support known.
Congress may also introduce and pass legislation relating to ship names.
What Past Legislation Has There Been On Theon the Issue?
Table 2 shows recent enacted provisions regarding the names of Navy ships. All of
Table 2. Recent Enacted Provisions
Fiscal
Year
2007
2001
1999
1996
1996
Public
Law
109-364
106-398
105-261
104-106
P.L. 109-364
P.L. 106-398
P.L. 105-261
P.L. 104-106
Bill
H.R. 5122
H.R. 4205
H.R. 3616
S. 1124
S. 1124
Section
1012
1012
1014
1018
1018
1996
1991
1989
1989
1989
104-106
101-510
100-456
100-456
100-202
S. 1124
H.R. 4739
H.R. 4481
H.R. 4481
H.J.Res. 395
1019
1426
1221
1222
8138
Section
1012
1012
1014
1018
Ship
Name(s)
CVN-78
CVN-77
an LPD-17 class ship
LHD-7
LPD-17 class
amphibious ships
Gerald R. Ford
Lexington
Clifton B. Cates
Iwo Jima
Marine Corps battles
or members of the
Marine Corps
Joseph Vittori
Samuel S. Stratton
Melvin Price
Bob Hope
John C. Stennis
an appropriate ship
the next DDG-51
the next SSBN
an appropriate ship
CVN-74 or CVN-751996 P.L. 104-106 S. 1124
1018
LPD-17 class
amphibious ships
1996
1991
1989
1989
1989
1019
1426
1221
1222
8138
an appropriate ship
the next DDG-51
the next SSBN
an appropriate ship
CVN-74 or CVN-75
P.L. 104-106
P.L. 101-510
P.L. 100-456
P.L. 100-456
P.L. 100-202
S. 1124
H.R. 4739
H.R. 4481
H.R. 4481
H.J.Res. 395
Note: All of these provisions expressed the sense of the Congress about how a Navy ship should be named.
10
The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, op cit, p. 113. See also
p. 70 and p. 86.
11
Patrick Pexton, “Clinton Compromise: Carriers Truman And Reagan,” Navy Times, February
13, 1995: 19. See also “Navy Announces Aircraft Carrier To Be Named For President Truman,”
Associated Press, February 2, 1995. CVN-75 had been preliminarily named the United States.
12
The article, which reported on the ship’s official naming ceremony, states: “[Senator] Warner
recalled that he first suggested naming a carrier in the senior Bush’s honor last year [i.e., in
2001], during a ceremony in Newport News to christen the [previous] carrier Ronald Reagan.”
(Dale Eisman, “Navy Names New Aircraft Carrier For Elder Bush,” Norfolk Virginian-Pilot,
December 10, 2002.)
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these measures expressed the sense of the Congress about how a Navy ship should be
named. Table 3 shows examples of proposed bills and amendments regarding the names
of Navy ships going back to the 93rd Congress. Some of these measures expressed the
sense of the Congress about how a Navy ship should be named, while others would
mandate a certain name for a ship. Although few of these measures were acted on after
being referred to committee, they all signaled congressional interest in how certain ships
should be named, and thus may have influenced Navy decisions on these matters.
Table 3. Examples of Proposed Bills And Amendments
[Congress] and Bill
[109th] S. 2766
[107th] H.Con .Res. 294
[106th] S.Con.Res. 84
[105th] S.Amdt. 2812 to S. 2057
[104th] H.J.Res 61
[104th] H.R. 445
[104th] S.Con.Res. 62
[104th] S.J.Res. 17
[104th] S.Amdt. 2277 to S. 1026
[104th] S.Amdt. 2277 to S. 1026
Ship
CVN-78
a new naval vessel
CVN-77
LPD-17 class ship
CVN-76
CVN-76
SSN-774
CVN-76
LHD-7
[104th] S.Amdt. 2277 to S. 1026
LPD-17 class ships
[104th] S.Amdt. 4350 to S. 1745
a SSN-774 class
submarine
an appropriate ship
a guided missile cruiser
CVN-76
next SSBN-726 class
submarine deployed after
enactment
CVN-74 or CVN-75
an aircraft carrier
a nonlethal naval vessel*vessela
an aircraft carrier
CVN-72
CVN-70
CVN-70
CVN-70
[103rd] H.R. 5283
[102nd] H.Con .Res. 354
[102nd] H.R. 6115
[100th] H.Amdt. 614 to H.R. 4264
[100th] S.Amdt. 1354 to H.J.Res. 395
[98th] H.Res. 99
[97th] H.Con.Res. 312
[97th] H.Res. 174
[97th] H.R. 4977
[93rd] H.Con.Res. 386
[93rd] H.Con.Res. 387
[93rd] H.J.Res. 831
Proposed name(s)
Gerald R. Ford
Bluejacket
Lexington
Clifton B. Cates
Ronald Reagan
Harry Truman
South Dakota
Ronald Reagan
Iwo Jima
famous Marine Corps
battles or heroes
South Dakota
Joseph Vittori
Pearl Harbor
Harry S Truman
Melvin Price
John C. Stennis
Wasp
Corpus Christi*Christia
Wasp
Hyman G. Rickover
Carl Vinson
Carl Vinson
Carl Vinson
*a. The resolution expressed the sense of Congress that the attack submarine Corpus Christi (SSN-705) be
renamed, and that a nonlethal naval vessel be named Corpus Christi.