List of ship names of the Royal Navy (D–F)

This is a list of ship names of the Royal Navy beginning with the letters D, E, and F. The Royal Navy has a long and storied history, and the names of its ships often reflect themes of royalty, courage, geographical locations, mythological figures, and historical events. This list is not exhaustive, but aims to provide a representative overview.

D

• Dagger: Several ships have borne this name, typically smaller vessels like gunboats and destroyers, suggestive of swiftness and precision.
• Daedalus: Named after the figure from Greek mythology, occasionally used.
• Daffodil: Used for convoy sloops and other vessels, often associated with floral names.
• Daring: A popular name, used for destroyers throughout various eras. Conveys a sense of boldness and risk-taking.
• Dart: Another name signifying speed, applied to sloops and other fast vessels.
• Dasher: Similar to Dart, conveying speed.
• Dawn: Ships with this name evoke a sense of hope and new beginnings.
• Decade: Used for destroyers, generally during wartime.
• Decoy: Typically used for torpedo boats and destroyers, indicating deception.
• Defence: A common name for battleships and cruisers, signifying protection and strength.
• Defender: Similar to Defence, also frequently used for destroyers.
• Defiance: Used for battleships and training establishments, suggesting resistance and strength.
• Delight: Used for destroyers.
• Delhi: Named after the city in India, often given to cruisers.
• Denton: Minesweeper.
• Derby: Town-class cruiser.
• Desire: Used for cruisers and frigates, suggesting longing or ambition.
• Despatch: Used for dispatch vessels, intended for rapid communication.
• Destiny: Used for landing ships, suggesting purpose.
• Devastation: Early ironclad battleship.
• Devonshire: County-class cruiser and other ships, named after the English county.
• Diamond: A common name for frigates and cruisers, representing strength, value, and clarity.
• Diana: Named after the Roman goddess of the hunt, often used for frigates and cruisers.
• Dido: Named after a mythological queen, often applied to cruisers.
• Diligent: Used for various smaller vessels, signifying attentiveness and hard work.
• Diligence: Used for depot ships.
• Discovery: A popular name, often used for exploration vessels, reflecting exploration and learning.
• Dispatch: (See Despatch)
• Dolphin: Used for submarines and smaller vessels, associated with intelligence and agility.
• Dominica: Colony-class frigate named after the Caribbean island.
• Donegal: County-class cruiser, named after the Irish county.
• Doncaster: Town-class cruiser.
• Dorsetshire: County-class cruiser, named after the English county.
• Doterel: Used for sloops and gunboats.
• Dragon: Used for cruisers and destroyers, representing power and ferocity.
• Drake: Armoured cruiser, named after Sir Francis Drake.
• Dreadnought: A revolutionary battleship design that lent its name to a whole class of battleships and became synonymous with the term "battleship" itself.
• ഡ്രൂയിഡ് (Druid): Protected cruiser
• Dryad: Used for torpedo gunboats and similar vessels.
• Dublin: Town-class cruiser, named after the Irish city.
• Duke of Edinburgh: Armoured cruiser.
• Duncan: Battleship.
• Dunkirk: Battleship.
• Dunvegan Castle: Armed merchant cruiser.
• Durandal: A name from mythology.
• Durham: Ships named after the English county of Durham.

E

• Eagle: A common name, used for aircraft carriers, frigates, and other vessels, representing strength and vision.
• Eaglet: Training establishment.
• Earl: Names given to ships in the late 17th century.
• Earl of Peterborough: Armoured cruiser.
• Echo: Used for survey ships and destroyers, signifying awareness and communication.
• Eclipse: Used for cruisers and destroyers, conveying a sense of change and power.
• Eden: Named after the biblical Garden of Eden.
• Edinburgh: Town-class cruiser, named after the Scottish capital.
• Egeria: Used for survey ships, named after a Roman goddess.
• Egmont: Name of several ships.
• Egypt: Battleship.
• Eglantine: Used for convoy sloops and other vessels, often associated with floral names.
• Eland: Destroyer.
• Electra: Used for destroyers.
• Elegant: Used for sloops and smaller vessels.
• Elephant: Third-rate ship of the line.
• Elfin: Name of the royal yacht.
• Emerald: Used for cruisers, representing value and beauty.
• Emerton: Minesweeper.
• Emperor of India: Battleship.
• Empress: Troopship.
• Empress of India: Battleship.
• Enchantress: Used for admiralty yachts and other vessels.
• Encounter: Used for cruisers, suggesting confrontation and engagement.
• Endeavour: A well-known name, often used for exploration vessels, signifying determination and purpose.
• Endurance: A common name, used for survey ships and other vessels, representing resilience and stamina.
• Engagement: Destroyer.
• Enterprise: A popular name, used for cruisers and other vessels, signifying initiative and daring.
• Entreprenante: Captured French frigate.
• Erebus: Used for monitors and other vessels, named after a dark and mysterious place in Greek mythology.
• Erica: Used for corvettes and other vessels, often associated with floral names.
• Erin: Battleship.
• Eskimo: Tribal-class destroyer.
• Espiegle: Used for sloops and smaller vessels.
• Essex: County-class cruiser, named after the English county.
• Estabrook: Captain-class frigate.
• Esther: Name of several vessels.
• Excellent: Shore establishment.
• Exeter: County-class cruiser, named after the English city.
• Experiment: Name of several ships.
• Exploit: Minesweeper.
• Express: Used for destroyers. Exmouth: Battleship and shore establishment.

F

• Fabulous: Aircraft carrier.
• Fairy: Used for destroyers and other smaller vessels, conveying a sense of lightness and magic.
• Faithful: Name of several ships.
• Falcon: Used for sloops and other smaller vessels, representing speed and agility.
• Falkland: Colony-class frigate named after the Falkland Islands.
• Fame: Used for destroyers, signifying reputation and glory.
• Fancy: Name of several ships.
• Fantasque: Used for destroyers.
• Fareham: Hunt-class minesweeper
• Farnham Castle: Castle-class corvette.
• Farncomb: Submarine.
• Farragut: Destroyer.
• Fastnet: Used for patrol vessels.
• Faulknor: Destroyer leader.
• Faversham: Bridgewater-class sloop.
• Favourite: Used for battleships and cruisers, signifying affection or preference.
• Fearless: Used for battleships and landing platform docks, conveying courage and lack of fear.
• Felicidade: Captured vessel.
• Felixstowe: Coastal minesweeper.
• Fellowship: Minesweeper.
• Fencer: Escort carrier.
• Fenella: Used for patrol vessels.
• Fennel: Flower-class corvette.
• Fenton: Minesweeper.
• Ferret: Used for sloops and submarines.
• Fervent: Name of several ships.
• Fidelity: Merchant ship adapted as a special service vessel.
• Fidget: Name of a brig.
• Fife: County-class destroyer, named after the Scottish region.
• Fiji: Crown Colony-class cruiser, named after the island nation.
• Filey: Coastal minesweeper.
• Finch: Used for gunboats and smaller vessels, often associated with bird names.
• Firebrand: Name of several ships.
• Firefly: Used for gunboats and smaller vessels, representing swiftness and light.
• Firm: Minesweeper.
• Fisgard: Shore establishment.
• Fishguard: Town-class light cruiser.
• Fittleton: Minesweeper.
• Fitzroy: Antarctic patrol ship.
• Flamborough: Coastal minesweeper.
• Flame: Used for destroyers and smaller vessels.
• Flamingo: Used for sloops and other vessels, often associated with bird names.
• Flash: Used for sloops and destroyers, conveying a sense of speed and suddenness.
• Flax: Used for corvettes.
• Fleetwood: Town-class sloop.
• Flinders: Survey vessel.
• Flint Castle: Castle-class corvette.
• Flora: Used for cruisers and other vessels, often associated with floral names.
• Florizel: Auxiliary patrol vessel.
• Flowerdale: Flower-class corvette.
• Fly: Used for sloops and other smaller vessels, representing speed and agility.
• Foley: Captain-class frigate.
• ഫോർമിഡബിൾ (Formidable): Pre-dreadnought battleship.
• ഫോർച്യൂൺ (Fortune): Used for destroyers, signifying luck and prosperity.
• ഫോക്സ് (Fox): Used for cruisers and other smaller vessels, representing cunning and agility.
• ഫോയ് (Foy): Coastal minesweeper.
• ഫ്രാൻസിസ് (Francis): Used in the late 17th century.
• ഫ്രാൻസിസ്ക് (Fraser): River-class destroyer.
• ഫ്രീഡം (Freedom): Used for various vessels, representing liberty and independence.
• ഫ്രീമാന്റിൽ (Fremantle): Grimsby-class sloop.
• ഫ്രെൻസി (Frenzy): Used for destroyers.
• ഫ്രോബിഷെർ (Frobisher): County-class cruiser.
• ഫ്രോഗ്മോർ (Frogmore): Name of several vessels.
• ഫ്രോണ്ടെനേ (Frontenac): River-class frigate.
• ഫ്രണ്ടിയർ (Frontier): Used for destroyers.
• ഫ്യൂറിയസ് (Furious): Used for aircraft carriers, representing intensity and power. ഫ്യൂച്ചർ (Future): Name of the vessel.