Royal Navy naming cycles and politically risky names

Why did the Royal Navy avoid obvious national or patron-saint names for many warships?

Such names carried political, religious, and symbolic risks, especially if the ship were sunk, while established admiral and traditional names were institutionally safer.

Names tied too directly to a country or patron saint could create political and symbolic trouble if the ship were lost. HMS England appeared only once, and St George became uncommon as an active ship name despite its national resonance. Religious associations and the prospect of a sinking being read as an insult made saint names especially awkward. The naming committee instead moved through recognizable cycles of admirals and established 'great names' such as Hood, Lion, or Vanguard. Ship naming therefore involved institutional risk management as well as patriotic symbolism.