Pirate Ship Name Generator

For more inspiration on pirate ship names and the possibility of adventure upon the Seven Seas, dig into maritime history with these famous pirate ships!

• Revenge (Royal James)
  

The Revenge was the ship of pirate Stede Bonnet, who was originally a wealthy landowner and bought the ship entirely with his own money. ^[1] Abandoning his cushy life in Barbados, Bonnet set upon a life of piracy. Collaborating frequently with fearsome fellow-pirate Blackbeard, the two eventually accepted pardons upon renouncing piracy forever, and Bonnet changed the Revenge ’s name to the Royal James . However, after being betrayed by Blackbeard, Bonnet resumed piracy and was later executed. ^[2]

• The Whydah Gally
  

The Whydah Gally began its life as a ship intended for the transportation of enslaved people as part of the long-running Atlantic Slave Trade that brought humans from the African continent to the Americas for forced labor. However, just two years after it was built, the ship was captured by pirate Samuel Bellamy who sailed it until a devastating crash on the shores of Cape Cod months later. ^[3]

• Queen Anne's Revenge
  

Queen Anne’s Revenge was pirate Blackbeard’s flagship vessel, having begun its life as a merchant ship transporting enslaved people for the Atlantic Slave Trade before being captured in 1717. ^[4] The ship may be a reference to Queen Anne’s War, or the War of the Spanish Succession, during which major European countries fought over who was to take over the Spanish Empire after the death of its childless king Charles II. The ship was run aground not a year after its capture. ^[5]

• Adventure Galley
  

Adventure Galley was acquired by sea captain William Kidd as part of his privateering efforts for the King of England to hunt down pirates. ^[6] However, after many unsuccessful efforts to do so, Kidd himself began pirating and soon after captured an Indian merchant ship loaded with valuables. Kidd is known today for having allegedly buried his treasure and may be responsible for the popularization of the common pirate trope. ^[7]

• Ganj-i-Sawai
  

Though not technically a pirate ship, the Ganj-i-Sawai , originally a trading ship belonging to the royal family of the Mughal Empire, was captured and looted by pirate Henry Every. ^[8] After the capture, the Mughal Emperor cut off English Trade until he was compensated for the loss of his ship and treasures. Henry Every was never found and tried for his piracy. ^[9]

Now that ye are all caught up with some important pieces of pirate lore, dive into swashbuckling adventures of yer own! There's no better place to start than by having a sturdy ship, jump up to the Pirate Ship Name Generator for a place to get started!