Could HMS Ruby return as a Royal Navy ship name?

Would Ruby be a suitable Royal Navy ship name in the modern era?

Yes. Ten Royal Navy ships have carried the name, most recently an Acon-class destroyer completed in 1910, though Ruby would likely appear within an R-name or gemstone naming scheme.

Ruby has historical depth, including earlier rated warships and a First World War destroyer. The Second World War R-class destroyer sequence did not reach Ruby, but a further flotilla could plausibly have done so after names such as Rapid, Relentless, and Rocket. A modern R-class or a gemstone class would provide the clearest route for revival. The panel's hesitation is not about the name itself but about the wider fashion for themed class names that can become strained or awkward.