A new analysis of public maritime traffic data reveals a treasure trove of human creativity: over 50,000 boat names, packed with nautical puns, double-entendre jokes, and references to Tolkien, Star Wars, and Seinfeld.

The survey was conducted by beautifulpublicdata.com, which combed through years of data from NOAA (the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). The names were captured via AIS (Automatic Identification System) transmitters, present on larger and commercial vessels.

According to the site, the collection is a portrait of vessel owners’ personalities. From ‘SEA SLUT II’ to ‘BILBOAT BAGGINS’, names range from raunchy jokes to sophisticated literary references.

Data and Methodology

The site processed a sample of ‘broadcast points’ data from NOAA’s Marine Cadastre, which captures AIS signals from terrestrial stations along U.S. waterways. Of roughly 150,000 unique vessels in the sample, only 50,000 had registered names.

The data is not a comprehensive government registry; many vessels do not transmit names. Still, the sample is rich: recreational boats represent 43% of vessels, followed by cargo ships (14%), plus fishing vessels, tugboats, ferries, and military craft.

Who Are U.S. Boat Owners?

A U.S. Coast Guard survey cited by the site estimates that 12% of American households (about 14.5 million) owned or co-owned a recreational boat in 2018. The profile of these owners is overwhelmingly white: 82.9%, versus 0.8% Black or African American.

Owning a boat isn’t cheap: annual costs can range from $15,000 to $40,000. This is reflected in names like ‘LIQUID ASSETS’, ‘BLUE CHIP III’, ‘PORT FOLIO’, and ‘401(PLAY)’, which seem plucked straight from a hedge fund manager’s portfolio.

Lawyers and judges also leave their mark: ‘LAW DAWG’, ‘PRO BONO’, ‘MOTION GRANTED’, ‘CASE CLOSED’, and ‘OVERRULED’. Doctors may choose ‘CADUCEUS’, ‘SEROTONIN’, or ‘ENDORFIN’.

Humor and Pop Culture

The ‘spicy’ names section is generous: ‘NAUTI-BOY’, ‘GET KNOTTY’, ‘LOVE MACHINE 7’, ‘SEA SLUT II’, ‘SCREAMING O’, ‘HOOTER PATROL III’, ‘FRISKY LADY’, ‘THICK CHICK’, ‘WET DREAM’, and ‘WETTER THE BETTER’.

Classic literary references include ‘SANTIAGO’ (Hemingway), ‘GOOD OL SANCHO’ (Don Quixote), ‘TOM SAWYER’ and ‘HUCK FINN II’ (Mark Twain), ‘RED OCTOBER’ (Tom Clancy), ‘MARLEY’S GHOST’ (Dickens), ‘GRENDEL’ (Beowulf), ‘TIMSHEL’ (Steinbeck), ‘ONEGIN’ (Pushkin), and ‘PRYDWEN’ (King Arthur).

The site’s author, a Tolkien fan, highlights ‘GANDALF’, ‘SHADOWFAX’, ‘LADY GALADRIEL II’, ‘RIVENDELL’, ‘ARWEN’, ‘IDRIL’, and the crown jewel: ‘BILBOAT BAGGINS’.

Film also makes its presence felt: ‘NOSTROMO’ (Alien), ‘BELAFONTE’ (The Life Aquatic), ‘BLACK PEARL’ (Pirates of the Caribbean), ‘A BIGGER BOAT’ (Jaws), ‘DAS BOOT’, ‘STRANGELOVE’ (Kubrick), ‘INCEPTION’ (Nolan), ‘SPIRITED AWAY’ (Miyazaki), ‘RUBY SLIPPERS’ (The Wizard of Oz), and ‘ROSEBUD’ (Citizen Kane).

TV doesn’t lag behind: ‘THE TARDIS’ (Doctor Who), ‘MAKE IT SO’ (Star Trek), ‘S.S. MINNOW’ (Gilligan’s Island), ‘THE OFFICE’, ‘SEINFELD’, and variations like ‘NO SOUP FOR YOU’, ‘SERENITY NOW’, and ‘FESTIVUS’.

Processing and Tools

The site used a Python Jupyter notebook to process the data—roughly 300 GB per year of AIS transmissions. To categorize names and build the interactive browser, the author relied on Claude Code, an AI tool.

The analysis exemplifies how public data can unveil layers of culture and humor. The site makes the data available for download and invites readers to explore all 50,000 names.

The full project is at beautifulpublicdata.com, with category search and a random option to ‘see what floats to the top’.