Baby Name: Bessie

Back when sea voyages were the only way to reach distant lands, many babies ended up being born aboard ships. And many of these ship-born babies were given names that reflected the circumstances of their birth. A good portion of them, for instance, were named after the ships upon which they were born.

I’ve gathered hundreds of these ship-inspired baby names over the years, and I think it’s finally time to post what I’ve found. You’ll find the second half of the list below. (Here’s the first half.)

---

M

• Macduff:
  • Edward Macduff Thompson, born in 1878

• Madawaska:
  • Thomas Maria Madawaska Hemy, born in 1852

• Magellan:
  • Magellan Carrahlew, born in 1870

• Majestic:
  • Marguerite Majestica Ford, born in 1927

• Malabar:
  • Emma Malabar Young, born in 1865

• Malta:
  • Thomas Malta McCafferty, born in 1876

• Manora:
  • Manora Ida Power, born in 1882

• Maraval:
  • Maraval White, born in 1878
  • Maraval Hay, born in 1878
  • Robert Maraval Schroder, born in 1879
  • Sarah Maraval McKenzie, born in 1879

• Marcotis:
  • Marcotis Gallia, born in 1882

• Margaret Galbraith:
  • Annie Galbraith Dawson, born in 1879

• Marion:
  • Marion Margaret Ramsay, born in 1854

• Marlborough:
  • Marlborough Stevens, born in 1883

• Martello:
  • Martello Grant, born in 1853

• Mary Pleasants:
  • Mary Pleasants Robinson, born in 1857
  • Mary Pleasants Poole, born in 1857

• Mary Shepherd:
  • Margaret Mary Shepherd Crozier, born in 1865
  • Charley Shepherd Piercy, born in 1866
  • Alice Mary Shepherd Dix, born in 1866
  • Mary Shepherd Miner, born in 1873

• Mataura:
  • Mataura Welsh, born in 1877

• Matoaka:
  • Matoaka Atlantic Costa, born in 1864

• May Queen:
  • May Colville Walker, born in 1881

• Maxima:
  • Albert Maxima Shaddiek, born in 1873

• Medford:
  • Medford Colling, born in the mid-19th century.
    • He in turn gave his name to Medford, Minnesota, in the 1850s. His father, Englishman William K. Colling, was an early Minnesota settler who “said that he had a son who was born on board the ship Medford, and was named Medford, in honor of the ship, and proposed that the town should be named Medford in honor of the boy.”

• Medway:
  • Atalanta Medway Hancock, born in 1871

• Melpomene:
  • Elizabeth Melpomene Hindley, born in 1882

• Mennock:
  • Louise Mennock Looney, born in 1885

• Merkara:
  • Alexander Merkara McLeod, born in 1882
  • Alice Mabel Merkara Atkin, born in 1884
  • Mary Ellen Merkara Mathews, born in 1885
  • Merkara Beier, born in 1887
  • Merkara Smith, born in 1887
  • Merkara Cave Bratz, born in 1890

• Merope:
  • Merope Pentebow, born in 1879

• Middlesex:
  • Carter Middlesex Mellows, born in 1866

• Miltiades:
  • Edward Miltiades Taylor, born in 1874
  • Jessie Miltiades Mary Jennings, born in 1874

• Mirage:
  • Alice Mirage Osgood, born in 1864

• Missouri:
  • Atlantic Missouri Linne, born in 1889

• Mississippi:
  • Mississippi Petrovitch, born in 1885

• Mizpah:
  • Joseph Mizpah Bagley, born in 1880

• Montana:
  • Jane Montana McGuiness, born in 1878
  • Henry Montana Rowson, born in 1879

• Moravian:
  • Thomas Moravian Carter, born in 1868
  • Ellen K. Moravian Warford, born in 1872
  • Thomas Moravian McElraith, born in 1881

• Morna:
  • Morna Francis, born in 1887

• Myrtle:
  • James Myrtle Holme Robertson, born in 1877

N

• Nackato:
  • Frederick Nackato Dickens, born in 1875
  • Ruth Nackato Bowick, born in 1875

• Neckar:
  • Petrine Jeanette Hugo Neckar Walls, born in 1887

• Nemesis:
  • Nemesis Louise Catherine Dupont, born in 1877

• Nestor:
  • Nestorina Misonsnile, born in 1889

• Nestorian:
  • Mary Nestorian Cowan, born in 1890

• Netherby:
  • Netherby Victoria Louisa Cubbin, born in 1866.
    • Technically, she was born on land two days after the Netherby ran aground. But I feel this is close enough to include…

• Neva:
  • Alice Neva Landham, born in 1886

• Nevada:
  • Elizabeth Nevada West, born in 1872
  • William Nevada Webster, born in 1873
  • Nevada Atlantic Larsen, born in 1878
  • Mary Nevada Berry, born in 1881
  • Victoria Nevada Johnson, born in 1881
  • Marie Nevada McPhie, born in 1884
  • Nevada Christensen, born in 1887

• Neville:
  • Gerald Neville Hemsworth, born in 1869

• Niagara:
  • Fanny Elizabeth Niagara Pickard, 1875

• Nile:
  • Nilena Thompson, born in 1866
  • Michelina Nilina Derosty, born in 1877

• Nineveh:
  • Amelia Tabitha Nineveh Johns Adams, born in 1877
  • Nineveh Sydney, born in 1879

• Norfolk:
  • Lilian Norfolk Beeching, born in 1880

• Noronha:
  • Alice Noronha Yealland, born in 1878

• Norseman:
  • Emily Norseman Stepp, born in 1866

• North:
  • Adelaide North Hossack, born in 1875

• Northam:
  • John Northam Davies, born in 1876

• Northampton:
  • James Northampton Maughan, born in 1880
  • Ethel Northampton Jeffrey, born in 1882
  • William Northampton Irvine, born in 1882

• Northland:
  • Orford Northland Conover, born in 1912

• Northumberland:
  • James Northumberland Byrne, born in 1873

• Nourmahal:
  • Ellen Nourmahal Morrison, born in 1874

• Nova Scotian:
  • Charles Nova Scotian Kuseley, born in 1860
  • Sarah Nova Scotia Keating, born in 1858

• Nubian:
  • Edith Nubian Benwell Wootten, born in 1882
  • Nubian Jane Fisher, born in 1882

• Nugget:
  • William Nugget Morant, born in 1860
  • Frederick Nugget Hurricks, born in 1860

• Numidian:
  • Amelia Numidian Asmann, born in 1892

• Nyanza:
  • James Fisher Nyanza Allt, born in 1873

O

• Oaklands:
  • Ivo Oaklands Rowe, born in 1877
  • George Oaklands Southam, born in 1877
  • John Fuller Oaklands Munn, born in 1877
  • Geneva Oaklands Perry, born in 1877
  • Beatrice Sarah Oaklands Simons, born in 1877

• Oceanic:
  • Catherine Oceanica Bernter, born in 1874

• Octavia:
  • William Octavius Foster, born in 1857

• Olago:
  • Olago William Holliday, born in 1883

• Olbers:
  • Kate Mary Olbers Scott, born in 1878
  • Francisco Olbers Ferera, born in 1879
  • Mary Louisa Olbers Mansell, born in 1884

• Lady Olive:
  • Eliza Olive Frazer, born in 1881

• Olympia:
  • Mary Anne Olympia Sullivan, born in 1872
  • Olympia Sanna, born in 1880
  • Olympia Cataneza, born in 1886

• Lake Ontario:
  • Jennie Ontario Bottomley, born in 1888

• Opawa:
  • Caroline Opawa Langford, born in 1878
  • George Frederick Opawa Whittlestone, born in 1879

• Orari:
  • Annie Orari Mosey Andrews Kelly, born in 1876
  • Albert Orari Smith, born in 1876
  • Robert Cotton Orari Garratt, born in 1878
  • Mary Orari Kenney, born in 1879

• Oregon:
  • James Oregon Tansley, born in 1887
  • Anna Oregonia Larsen, born in 1887

• Orient:
  • Orient Elizabeth Searle, born in 1871
  • Annie Orient Smith, born in 1889

• Orizaba:
  • William Orizaba Brown, born in 1887
  • May Orizoba Curtiss, born in 1891

• Orotava:
  • Ethel Orotavia Morris, born in 1891

• Oroya:
  • Oroya Fletcher, born in 1889

• Otago:
  • Otago J. Shearer, born in 1882
  • Otago William Holliday, born in 1883
  • Andrew Otago McCulloch, born in 1884

• Oxford:
  • William Cuthbert Oxford Morse, born in 1876
  • John William Ackerman Oxford Booth, born in 1877
  • Charles Oxford Stubbs, born in 1881

P

• Pacific Ocean:
  • Pacific Pearl Myrick, born in 1848

• Palamcotta:
  • Emily Sarah Palamcotta Russell, born in 1890

• Palestine:
  • Charles Owen Palestine Harte, born in 1873

• Palgrave:
  • Edward Palgrave Thomas, born in 1886

• Parthia:
  • Honora Parthia Moynahan, born in 1877
  • Parthia John George Wills, born in 1882

• Partizanka:
  • Helena Partizanka Dinerman, born in 1949

• Pathan:
  • James Pathan Laurie, born in 1883

• Peeress:
  • Elizabeth Peeress Brown, born in 1874

• Penelope:
  • Penelope Ribeiro, born in 1857

• Pennsylvania:
  • Pennsylvania Hall Gilman, born in 1869

• Percy:
  • Percy George Cooper White, born in 1869
  • Thomas Percy Chenney, born in 1870

• Pericles:
  • Alfred Pericles Maxfield, born in 1877
  • Ernest Pericles Waite, born in 1878
  • James Pericles Greig, born in 1878
  • Alfred Pericles Fletcher, born in 1883
  • Fanny Pericles Craven, born in 1883
  • Elizabeth Pericles Hutchins, born in 1883
  • Kate Pericles Jewell, born in 1883

• Persia:
  • Henry Persia Mallet, born in 1854

• Peruvian:
  • Maria Peruvia Hoxer, born in 1872
  • William Henry Peruvian Foster Davies, born in 1972
  • Peruviana Gudbjorg Krisgansson, born in 1891

• Peter Denny:
  • Richard Pycroft Denny Gough, born in 1874

• Peterborough:
  • Peterborough Daniel Brown, born in 1884

• Pioneer:
  • John William Pioneer Wiles, born in 1858

• Pleiades:
  • Emily Pleiades Hancock, born in 1872
  • Eveline Pleiades Norris, born in 1873

• Pleione:
  • Effie Pleione Bunting, born in 1883

• Pounder:
  • Henry Pounder Glory Levistone, born in 1818

• Potosi:
  • Charlotte Potosi Botterill, born in 1884
  • Matle (?) Potosi Pogorelsky, born in 1891

• Priam:
  • George Priam Hay, born in 1871

• Propontis:
  • Wilhemina Propontis Conolly, born in 1854

• Prussian:
  • Magdalen Prussian Jones, born in 1882

• Ptolemy:
  • Ann Ptolemy Dancker, born in 1883

Q

• Quetta:
  • Clara Quetta Green, born in 1885
  • John Quetta Eales, born in 1886
  • May Quetta Hollett, born in 1886

R

• Raglan:
  • George Raglan Wilson, born in 1858

• Rakaia:
  • Ann Rakaia Hoberfield, born in 1874
  • Albert Rakaia Dillon, born in 1874

• Rajasthan:
  • Blythe Atkinson Rajasthan Malcahey, born in 1854
  • Lydia Eliza Rajasthan Rogers, born in 1854

• Ramsey:
  • Florence Ramsey Hickman, born in 1873
  • Stephen Abbott Ramsey Johnson, born in 1873

• Rathlin:
  • Alexander Rathlin Cunningham, born in 1879

• Ravensdale:
  • Norman Ravensdale Smith, born in 1887

• Remington:
  • Jane Remington Moore, born in 1877

• Renown:
  • Edwin Renown Chillman, born in 1864

• Restoria:
  • John Restoria Hamilton, born in 1875

• Rialto:
  • Rialto Strick, born in 1883

• Rimutaka:
  • Henry Rimutaka Wilson, born in 1886

• Rinaldo:
  • William Rinaldo Lawn, born in 1869
  • Hewy Arthur Rinaldo Cox, born in 1869

• Roma:
  • Roma Douglas Titel Ziell, born in 1882
  • Roma Brown, born in 1883
  • May Roma Kirk, born in 1883
  • Bessie Roma Taylor, born in 1883

• Roman:
  • Annie Roman McNebo, born in 1887

• Romsdal:
  • William Romsdal Osborn, born in 1883

• Rooparell:
  • John Rooparell McGahan, born in 1874
  • J. P. Rooperell Fuller, born in 1874

• Rosebud:
  • Rosebud Collie, born in 1883

• Roseneath:
  • Janet Roseneath Gibson, born in 1876

• Royal Charter:
  • Charterina Campbell, born in 1857
  • Royal Charter Bertha Parl, born in 1858

S

• Samuel Plimsoll:
  • John Braden Plimsoll Eyre, born in 1875

• Saraca:
  • Alice Saraca Cross, born in 1877

• Saracen:
  • Kathleen Saracen Leboeuf, born in 1877

• Sardinian:
  • William Sardinian Gorman, born in 1857
  • Jane Sardinian Sinclair, born in 1877

• Sarmatian:
  • Minnie Aird Sarmatia Kealey, born in 1876

• Sarnia:
  • Sophia Sarnia Yeates, born in 1884

• Scawfell:
  • Thomas Scawfell Appleby, born in 1874

• Scandia:
  • Scandia Marta Steiner, born in 1892

• Scotia:
  • Henry Scotia Steer, born in 1875

• Scottish Admiral:
  • Charles Louis Admiral Brown, born in 1882
  • Admiral John Kerr Stuart, born in 1883

• Scottish Hero:
  • Thomas Hero Kelly, born in 1876
  • Elizabeth Jane Hero Fram, born in 1879

• Scythia:
  • Francis Scythia Cogan, 1889

• Sepia:
  • Sarah Sepia Parrott, born in 1875

• Servia:
  • Edith Florence Servia Mace, born in 1890
  • Helena Servia Pedersen, born in 1889

• Shalimar:
  • Anna Shalimar Rose, born in 1863

• Shannon:
  • Henry Shannon Smith, born in 1865
  • Annie Shannon McMinn, born in 1883

• Sherwood:
  • Mary Sherwood Brocklebank, born in 1885

• Siberian:
  • Robert Shaw Siberian Thomson, born in 1885

• Sierra Colonna:
  • Sierra Colonna Wildridge, born in 1879

• Simiote:
  • Cleopatra Simiote Constatino, born in 1883

• Sirius:
  • John Sirius Hallam, born in 1886

• Sirsa:
  • Sirsa James Attree, born in 1884

• Smyrna:
  • Smyrna Jane Hollow, born in 1878

• Sobraon:
  • May Kyle Sobraon Heron, born in 1867
  • Amy Sobraon Petty, born in 1883

• Somersetshire:
  • Arthur Somerset Hunter, born in 1879

• Sorata:
  • Sorata Mary Josephine Schabinger, born in 1884

• Southern Belle:
  • Belle Glenfield, born in 1874

• Southesk:
  • Jennie Southesk Bell, born in 1878
  • Alexander Southesk McKenzie, born in 1882

• Spain:
  • William Grace Spain Jackson, born in 1872
  • Grace Spain Bennett, born in 1882
  • Agnes Spain Gacek, born in 1883

• Star of India:
  • William Star Bohlsen, born in 1877

• Star Queen:
  • John Star Pritchard, born in 1873

• State of Alabama:
  • James Alabama Murkussen, born in 1886

• State of Florida:
  • Florida Wolkow, born in 1882

• State of Indiana:
  • Sarah Findley Sadler Indiana Fleming, born in 1881
  • Alexandrine Ivan Indiana Schwartz, born in 1890
  • Georgina Klara Indiana Kriskick, born in 1891

• St. Clair:
  • Robert Nisbet St. Clair Gill, born in 1885
  • Helen St Clair Higgie, born in 1886

• St. George:
  • Catherine St. George Dobson, born in 1864

• St. Kilda:
  • Helena Kilda Atkins, born in 1876

• St. Louis:
  • St. Louis Sillanpau, born in 1895

• St. Patrick:
  • John Stephen Sneddon Patrick Dempster, born in 1871

• Strathleven:
  • Ann Strathleven Proudlock, born in 1879

• Suffolk:
  • Grace Suffolk Liddendale Hornell, born in 1866

• Sultana:
  • Marie Sultana Bartram, born in 1859

• Surrey:
  • Surrey Bloh, born in 1882

• Sweden:
  • Erick Donald Sweden Jonasson, born in 1870

• Sydenham:
  • Bernard Sydenham Berry, born in 1881
  • Humphrey Sydenham Heron, born in 1881
  • Sydenham Roberts, born in 1883

T

• Tamar:
  • Carlotta Tamar Estevez, born in 1891

• Tanjire:
  • Charles Tanjire Mylne, born in 1865

• Taranaki (likely named for Mount Taranaki):
  • Fred William Taranaki Ward, born in 1883

• Tarifa:
  • Elizabeth Tarifa Wood, born in 1867
  • Tarifa Swish, born in 1870

• Taroba:
  • Rose Taroba Reid, born in 1888

• Tasmania:
  • Sarah Edith Tasmania Baines, born in 1881

• Taymouth Castle:
  • William Adreph Taymouth Schuhardt, born in 1877

• Temple Bar:
  • Benjamin Temple Vaughan, born in 1887

• Trefusis:
  • John Trefusis Lamont, born in 1877

• Trevelyan:
  • Trevelyan Wood, born in 1880
  • Edward Trevelyan Martin, born in 1880
  • Trevelyan Edwardina Roberts Boardman, born in 1883

• Trinacria:
  • Ann Trinacria Boyle, born in 1872
  • Concetta Trinacria Ermina Filice, born in 1886

• Trinidad:
  • Maria Trinidad Baz, born in 1866
  • Martha Trinidad Wallace, born in 1883

• Tripoli:
  • Thomas Tripoli McMahon, born in 1866

• Trojan:
  • Charles George Trojan Glass, born in 1881

• Tweed:
  • Tweed Ann Gardner, born in 1870

• Tyne:
  • Charlotte Tyne Hastler, born in 1857

U

• Umbria:
  • Umbria Alva Marie Lindh, born in 1889

• Utopia:
  • Daniel Utopia Thomson Sullivan, born in 1874

V

• Valetta:
  • Maggie Valetta Riddock, born in 1887

• Valiant:
  • Valiant (surname unknown), born in 1980

• Varuna:
  • Varuna Rowe Kennedy, born in 1874

• Venture:
  • Avis Cygnet Venture Hilliard, born in 1892

• Verum:
  • Mary Verum Parry, born in 1863

• Victory:
  • Victoria Gibbon Baird, born in 1863
  • Jane Frances Victoria Mosley, born in 1883
  • Victory Elcoate Dowle, born in 1884

• Viscata:
  • Elizabeth Sofia Viscata Drummond, born in 1865

• Voltaic:
  • Elizabeth Moore Voltaic Boyle, born in 1889

W

• Waikato:
  • Ruth Waikato Eswick, born in 1875

• Waipa (sort of):
  • Cyclone Cape Dove Four Bells Gorn Bendall, born in 1878

• Waimate:
  • Annie Rose Waimate James, born in 1874

• Wainsfell:
  • Eliza Wainsfell Trescoth, born in 1863
  • Hugh Wainsfell Garbride, born in 1863

• Wairoa:
  • William Wairoa Joss Diffey, born in 1877
  • Joseph Wairoa Hill, born in 1879

• Waitangi:
  • Alexander Waitangi Danks, born in 1876
  • William George Waitangi Connelly, born in 1877
  • Priscilla Waitangi Rundle, born in 1878

• Waitara:
  • Emily Waitara Morgan, born in 1876
  • James Waitara Jenkins, born in 1877
  • Anne Waitara Adcock, born in 1879
  • Waitara Sarah Clark, born in 1879

• Walmer Castle:
  • Charles Walmer Bud, born in 1859
  • Jane Walmer Fergusson, born in 1880

• Waroonga:
  • Mary Waroonga Cook, born in 1883
  • Rose Waroonga Buchanan, born in 1883
  • Alice Waroonga Poffley, born in 1883
  • Elizabeth Waroonga Brown, born in 1883
  • Margaret Waroonga McLaughlin, born in 1885
  • Emily Waroonga Griffiths, born in 1887
  • Emily Waroonga Finlay, born in 1887
  • David Waroonga Griffiths, born in 1887

• Warren Hastings:
  • Taylor Hedley Warren Hastings Henley, born in 1863

• Warwick:
  • Ellen Mary Warwick Bourke, born in 1874
  • Warwick Temperley Skinner, born in 1874
  • Warwick Sexton Clifford Timmins, born in 1879
  • James Warwick Davis, born in 1879
  • Annie Warwick Chappell, born in 1884
  • Warwickina Shields, born in 1884

• Wellesley:
  • Charles James Wellesey Taylor, born in 1858

• Wellington:
  • David Cowan Wellington McColl, born in 1876
  • George Edward Wellington Duncan, born in 1878
  • Harry Cowan Wellington Haworth, born in 1879
  • William Wellington Chaplin, born in 1882
  • Ida Wellington Cowan, born in 1884

• Western Monarch:
  • Thomas Western Radcliffe, born in 1876

• Westmeath:
  • May Westmeath Wright, born in 1884

• Westminister:
  • Mary Westminster Lucas, born in 1956

• Wimmera:
  • George Wimmera Bennett, born in 1874

• Windsor Castle:
  • Bertha Windsor Schultz, born in 1881

• Winifred:
  • Winifred Hascher, born in 1881

• Wisconsin:
  • Francis Owen Wisconsin O’Donald, born in 1879
  • Sarah Wisconsin Whitehead, born in 1879
  • Wisconsin Beardall, born in 1880
  • Jennie Wisconsin Cottrell, born in 1882
  • Wisconsin Ward, born in 1883
  • Wisconsin Wolfer, born in 1886
  • Elizabeth Wisconsin Hanlon, born in 1886
  • James Wisconsin Goodall, born in 1886
  • Johanna Wisconsin Cunningham, born in 1887
  • Edward Wisconsin Cothom, born in 1887

• Wistow:
  • Wistow Tapp, born in 1885

• W. J. Pirrie (now part of a marine sanctuary):
  • Nora Pirrie Duckworth, born in 1886

• Wyoming:
  • Wyoming Grainger, born in 1880
  • Wyoming Liddle, born in 1883

Y

• Yeoman:
  • Elizabeth Victoria Yeoman Goddard, born in 1887

• York:
  • Christopher York Gurten, born in 1862
  • John York Lillis, born in 1862

• Young England:
  • Young England Coleman, born in 1865

Z

• Zamora:
  • Julia Zamora Fitzgerald, born in 1877
  • Agnes Maria Zamora Gabaluseke, born in 1881
  • Zamora Jane Walker, born in 1881
  • Edward Zamora Bently, born in 1882
  • Joseph Zamora Daly, born in 1882

• Zeno:
  • Annie Zeno Babin, born in 1876

• Zealandia:
  • Zealandia Helena Harvey, born in 1875

• Zephyr:
  • Edith Anjer Zephyr Watson, born in 1878

---

Do you think any of the ship names above work particularly well as human names?

Sources:

• FamilySearch.org
• Upham, Warren. Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1920.

Image: Adapted from Earl Dalhousie (public domain)

[Latest update: Jan. 2025]