Ship names give crews identity beyond hull numbers

German torpedo boats used alphanumeric designations, while Royal Navy destroyers carried names. Crews could create unofficial nicknames, but an official name gave a ship a more immediate identity and character. The Flying Scotsman and Enterprise illustrate how a memorable name can evoke a particular machine and its reputation more strongly than a number alone. Ship naming could therefore contribute to esprit de corps, morale, and the way sailors understood their vessel as a collective institution.