What’s your canal boat name?

Names are more than just a means to identify a boat. They reflect the character of the vessel, and every boater takes pride in their boat’s name.

How to name your canal boat

Naming your boat is exciting – but it can feel like a lot of pressure to choose the perfect name. And with so many options, how do you even begin to choose? Here are our prompts to help you, or if you're feeling lucky, take our quiz to find out your boat name.

A red boat with the name 'Thunderfield' moors on the towpath.

'Thunderfield' was named after an old castle rumoured to have hosted Harold on his way to Hastings.

Personal touch

Were you born somewhere with a particularly poetic place name? Do you have children or grandchildren you could name the boat after? Is there a beloved pet in the family? Do you have a favourite hobby? There are endless ways to personalise your boat name with something significant.

From song names to favourite book characters, there are many examples of boaters naming their vessel after something they love. Myths, zodiac signs and historic figures are also good places to look.

A dark blue boat with the name 'Happy Days'.

Manifest positivity with a name like 'Happy Days'.

Get humorous

If you’re good with wordplay, you might come up with something unique and creative for your boat. There are plenty of waterways-related words to pun on – ‘Knot So Fast’ and ‘Forget Me Knot’ are a few examples.

Nature-inspired

Nature-inspired names are some of the most popular among boaters – and for good reason. One of the best things about being on your boat is surrounding yourself with nature. Do you have a favourite bird, tree or flower?

'Swift' was built in 1933, and refurbished in 2006 by volunteers from the Working Boat Project.

Traditional names

Just like parents naming babies after kings and queens of times gone by, your boat could continue the legacy of old working boats. The Historic Narrow Boat Club has a directory of old boat names to inspire you. And you don’t have to use these exact names. See if they spark something new for you.

Take our quiz to find out your boat name!

Tips for naming your canal boat

Choosing a boat name can be slightly overwhelming, but here are our do’s and don’t’s:

Stick to less than 40 characters in total (and just think of the signwriting costs)
Use capital letters for clarity
Avoid special characters
Avoid using apostrophes or commas, if possible – they're very easy to miss when our rangers search for boat names
Do not use anything that could be construed as being rude or offensive
Try and find something unique – this helps our rangers spot your boat and prevent mix-ups with other boats

Displaying your name and number
Always display your boat name and boat index number on both sides of your boat. You can get it painted on, use vinyl stick-on or even have laminated cards displayed inside the windows if they are large enough.
As well as being a legal requirement under the General Canal Bye-Laws 5(1) that the index number is clearly displayed on both sides of your boat (front and rear are not acceptable), it is also a condition of your boat licence. It’s also important that you display your index number and boat name for insurance purposes in the event of an incident and for identification purposes of the boat in an emergency.

A blue boat called 'Kingfisher' moves along an urban canal, with high rises in the distance.

Top 10 canal boat names

Here are the most popular boat names currently on our waters – does yours make the list?

Last Edited: 27 February 2025