Why did HMS Lioness never become as durable a Royal Navy name as HMS Lion?
Short answerThe names were too easy to confuse in radio traffic, and Lion's stronger battle honors gave it priority.
NotesThe two names are too similar for safe use in radio signals and operational traffic. Once the Navy had to choose between them, Lion carried greater battle honor and institutional precedence. The preference for Lion also reflected the gendered assumptions of the decision-making culture. The example shows how communications safety and inherited prestige can narrow a service's naming tradition.