With his Culture, the great Scottish science fiction author Iain M. Banks used song lyrics and titles to inspire the names of spaceships. There’s a whole wiki page entry on this, and with ships, for example, called “It’s My Party And I’ll Sing If I Want To”.

I noticed it first with John Scalzi, who said (tweet now deleted);

I’m seeing a lot of comments like this, re: the SpaceX ship name. I’m pretty sure the inspiration is from Iain M. Banks’ culture series, in no small part because my ship names in the Interdependency series are a tip of the hat to Banks, of whom I am a fan.

I don’t know enough good song lyrics to build a generator on this, but I do know some song titles, and I can throw the odd sci-fi-themed word into make the spaceship name a bit exotic.

What makes a good spaceship name? A truly effective spaceship name often captures a sense of purpose, aspiration, or the spirit of exploration. Names drawn from mythology, like Apollo or Artemis, connect modern voyages to ancient quests and legendary figures, lending a timeless weight to the mission, but feel very American.

China’s crewed spaceflight program utilises the Shenzhou (神舟, Shénzhōu) spacecraft, which translates to “Divine Vessel” or “Heavenly Ship,” to send taikonauts to its Tiangong (天宫, Tiāngōng) or “Heavenly Palace” space station. For its lunar exploration endeavours, China has the Chang’e (嫦娥, Cháng’é) program, named after the Chinese moon goddess, which has deployed rovers like Yutu (玉兔, Yùtù), meaning “Jade Rabbit”, and utilised relay satellites such as Queqiao (鹊桥, Quèqiáo) or “Magpie Bridge.” Future lunar missions will use the Mengzhou (梦舟, Mèngzhōu), or “Dream Vessel,” for crew transport and the Lanyue (揽月, Lǎnyuè) lander, meaning “Embracing the Moon” or “Grasping the Moon,” to land on the lunar surface. China’s Mars missions fall under the Tianwen (天问, Tiānwèn) program, meaning “Questions to Heaven,” with its first Mars rover named Zhurong (祝融, Zhùróng), after the Chinese god of fire. The spacesuit for moon landings is named Wangyu (望宇, Wàngyǔ), meaning “Gazing into the Cosmos,” and the manned lunar rover is called Tansuo (探索, Tànsuǒ), which translates to “Exploration.”

Alternatively, names signifying forward movement, discovery, or endurance, such as Voyager, Discovery, or Endeavour, directly reflect space travel goals but feel very Star Trek. These names are typically evocative and memorable, easy to pronounce, and carry a certain gravitas that befits the monumental task of venturing beyond Earth. They tell a story and set a tone, shaping the vessel’s identity before its journey begins.

A vessel designed for defence or combat might bear a name projecting strength and resilience, like Defiant or Valiant. In contrast, a ship dedicated to scientific research might be named after renowned scientists, concepts, or discovery instruments, such as Hubble or Curiosity. The name serves not only as an identifier but also as a source of inspiration for the crew and a point of connection for the public following the mission. Ultimately, a successful spaceship name resonates with human ambition, honours the heritage of exploration, and sparks the imagination about the vast possibilities awaiting the cosmos.

A note on irony. It was a challenge to find a Creative Commons spaceship illustration for this piece, which AI did not make. LG-Design made the ‘Predator’ above in 2023, so it’s possible, but does not disclose it as such.

Creative Commons credit: Predator Spaceship by LG-Design.