I play gigantic games and the sheer number of ships that I end up with, eventually stopped me from using individual ship names. I have ended up using a naval style two letter system for each class and naming each ship for the planet it is built on. Each class when I create it has all the relevant ship information in the notres box, so that I can compare classes across games. I would really love an out of game editor for my ships so that I could standardize classes and edit ship names as needed. In gigantic games It becomes nearly impossible.

Scincerely,
Scintor

For awhile I was naming my fleets after their home planet or region. Like the "12th Imperial Fleet" for the capital and the "3rd Zeus Fleet" and so on... helps you keep track of where to send your ships when the war is over, so they can see their families or whatever...

My ships? Well, Belldandy's fleet ships are (Wee to Frickin' Huge) Sylph, Seraph, Angel, Archangel, and Goddess. They'll be quite a sight when we get DA...

Individual ship names? I usually pick flagships of important fleets and give them a random Norse name. No reason really.

Hull-Speed Attack Defense Codename

For instance:

SM-5 B3 A1S1 Slicer

Small hull, warp 5, 3 beam damage, 1 armor 1 shield defence

I find cost is very important to track, Because ships with the exact same specs can have very different specs. It makes it easier obsolete the ships you no longer want to build.

I don't see the need for hit points because the hull tells you that.

I pad with 0's so all upgrades within a ship class sort together, I don't break out the defense, because that is usually balanced to offset the square root impact.


HM0030-1124-s40-d50

Huge
Missile attack of 30
cost 1124
speed 40
defense 50

I pick some off the wall name that tends fit the bling, tho not always. Some names are standards, like:

New Horizons: colony ship
Skyball: sensor array
Merchanteer: trade ship
Constructor: obvious
Thief: anomaly nabber

And names like Python, Hunter, Predator, Big Spender, Walnut, Pancake, ect.. for the warships/defenders.

I am thinking about a new design that has a one engine limit and calling it the "frogboy" (wink. j/k)

I follow the name with the construction cost. This is an easy indicator of advanced ships. I can tell the Python 375 is more advanced than the Python 175. Having the cost shown also helps in deciding what to build on a paticular planet given it's production. I just put component details in the comments section to indicate the basic jist of the design. Like Mpd (missle/point defense), BS(beam/shield). Sometimes I will add that to the name when options are relatively equal and I need more than one set-up. IE: Python Mpd 775 and Python Bs 775.

I've been using letters for hull size less often than I used to, as I concern myself with stats and purpose rather than hull size. Keep it simple, I say.

Basically, I have one letter for the purpose, a number for each chassis design, then a lowercase letter whenever I upgrade an existing chassis. Then, of course, a name. I've got a spreadsheet giving different types of names for the different roles.