Was calling American-built frigates the Colony class a naval joke?

Was calling American-built frigates the Colony class a naval joke?

The explanation centers on the Tacoma design's British River-class ancestry and the need for a distinct British class name.

The Tacoma class was an Americanized development of the British River class. When American yards built ships for British use, a different class name distinguished that version. The Colony name accompanies a design that had crossed the Atlantic in both directions.