Narrowboat Name Generator

Painted names for life on the cut

Transportation & Vehicles500 names

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Generate narrowboat and canal boat names for the cabin side: canal wordplay like Narrow Escape and Lock and Roll, slow-life names like Dun Rushin and Festina Lente, waterway wildlife like Moorhen and Water Vole, and traditional names like Perseverance and Evelyn May.

About narrowboat names

A narrowboat wears its name in paint. On the British canals the name sits on the cabin side, traditionally signwritten, and it is the first thing other boaters read as you pass at four miles an hour. That shapes what works: one to three words, easy to read from the towpath, and something you are happy to call out at a lock.

The list follows the styles you see on the cut. Working boats traditionally carried one plain word or a given name, so there are names like Perseverance, Good Intent and Evelyn May. Leisure boaters added wordplay on the vocabulary of the canal: the cut itself, locks, tillers, the windlass that winds the paddles, the winding hole where you turn, and the gongoozlers who stand and watch. Slow-life and retirement names such as Dun Rushin, Festina Lente and No Fixed Abode are everywhere, as are the birds and animals of the waterway, Lady and Rose names in the spirit of roses-and-castles painting, and affectionate nods to a home river or canal such as Avon Lass.

You will also find literary names, pub-sign and family names, and a section for a widebeam, a Dutch barge or a hire boat. Spellings inside the names are British.

How to choose narrowboat names

  • Read it from the towpath. A short name in large letters can be read from the bank and from a passing boat, while a long one needs smaller lettering. Narrow Escape fits a cabin panel more easily than To Say Nothing of the Dog.
  • Say it out loud the way you would to a lock keeper or a marina office on the phone. Puns such as Cratch of the Day and Tiller We Meet Again look good in paint but need spelling out every time.
  • Match the name to the boat. A traditional-style boat with a boatman's cabin suits Perseverance or Mary Ann, a modern cruiser suits Lock and Roll, and a widebeam can own up to it with Broad Beam.
  • Do not expect to be the only one. Boat names are not exclusive, so a favorite may already be on other boats. If you want fewer namesakes, build the name around your own family or your home water, as in Kennet Rose or Our Nell.
  • If you are renaming a boat, the repaint is the natural moment, because the signwriting has to be redone anyway. Tell your insurer and your navigation authority about the new name.

Frequently asked questions

What are good names for a narrowboat?

Good narrowboat names are short, readable from the towpath and at home on a canal. Traditional choices in the list include Perseverance, Good Intent and Evelyn May, wildlife names include Kingfisher, Moorhen and Water Vole, and slow-life names include Meander, Dun Rushin and Festina Lente.

What are some funny canal boat names?

Canal humor leans on boating words. Narrow Escape, Lock and Roll, Legging It, Mooring Has Broken, Tiller the End and Cratch of the Day are all in the list. Chip Butty works twice over, because a butty is also the unpowered boat towed behind a motor boat.

Can two narrowboats have the same name?

Yes. Boat names are not exclusive, and popular ones turn up on many boats around the network. A boat is told apart by its index number rather than its name, so choose the name you like and expect to meet a namesake now and then.

What is the difference between a narrowboat, a widebeam and a barge?

A narrowboat is built about seven feet wide so that it fits the narrow locks. A widebeam has the same style on a wider hull and keeps to the broad canals and rivers, and a Dutch barge is a different, fuller shape, often with a wheelhouse. Names such as Broad Beam, Going Dutch and Marge the Barge are in the list for those boats.

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All 500 narrowboat names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 16 names

  • Ada
  • Adlestrop
  • Aire and Graces
  • Alice May
  • All Aboard
  • All the Time in the World
  • Ambling Along
  • Amity
  • Are We There Yet
  • As You Like It
  • Ashby Lass
  • At Long Last
  • Auntie Vi
  • Avon Lass
  • Avontuur
  • Awayday

B: 32 names

  • Back Cabin
  • Bacon Butty
  • Badger's Sett
  • Banded Demoiselle
  • Bank Holiday
  • Bank of Mum and Dad
  • Barge Pole
  • Barge Right In
  • Bargemaster
  • Barn Owl
  • Beam Me Up
  • Beginner's Luck
  • Belle of the Towpath
  • Bimble
  • Bimbling Along
  • Bittern
  • Black Country Belle
  • Bolt Hole
  • Brass and Lace
  • Braunston Belle
  • Brecon Beacon
  • Brew with a View
  • Briar Rose
  • Bridge Hole
  • Bridgewater Belle
  • Broad Beam
  • Broad Horizons
  • Broad Minded
  • Broad Smile
  • Brummie Belle
  • Buckby Can
  • Bulrush

C: 33 names

  • Caen Hill Climber
  • Calder Rose
  • Caldon Lass
  • Canal Rose
  • Castle Keep
  • Castles in the Air
  • Cat's Whiskers
  • Catkin
  • Centre Line
  • Cherwell Charm
  • Cheshire Ringer
  • Chiltern Wanderer
  • Chip Butty
  • Churnet Lass
  • Clara
  • Clean Cut
  • Clocking Off
  • Clog Dancer
  • Coach Lines
  • Comfortably Wide
  • Compleat Angler
  • Concord
  • Continuous Cruiser
  • Contour Cruiser
  • Coot
  • Cotswold Lady
  • Cratch Me If You Can
  • Cratch of the Day
  • Cut Above
  • Cut and Run
  • Cut Loose
  • Cut to the Chase
  • Cygnet

D: 21 names

  • Dabchick
  • Dad's Den
  • Daisy May
  • Damselfly
  • Darby and Joan
  • Daydreamer
  • De Hoop
  • Dee Light
  • Diligence
  • Dilly Dally
  • Dorothy
  • Double Dutch
  • Downsized
  • Dragonfly
  • Drie Gebroeders
  • Dropping Slow
  • Dulce Domum
  • Dun Rushin
  • Dunworkin
  • Dutch Master
  • Dutch Treat

E: 12 names

  • Edith
  • Eendracht
  • Elbow Room
  • Elevenses
  • Elsie May
  • Emily Rose
  • Endurance
  • English Rose
  • Erewash Rose
  • Evelyn May
  • Every Day's a Sunday
  • Excelsior

F: 24 names

  • Fair Maid
  • Fair Trader
  • Faithful
  • Falstaff
  • Far and Wide
  • Far from the Madding Crowd
  • Father and Son
  • Fen Tiger
  • Fenland Lass
  • Festina Lente
  • First Timer
  • Five Rise
  • Flat Out at Four
  • Flight of Fancy
  • Floating Home
  • Florence
  • Fly Boat
  • Forget-Me-Not
  • Fortitude
  • Four Counties
  • Four Miles an Hour
  • Fred and Ginger
  • Full Beam
  • Full English

G: 23 names

  • Gap Year
  • Gardening Leave
  • Garland
  • Gate Crasher
  • Gentle Giant
  • Gently Does It
  • Going Dutch
  • Goldcrest
  • Goldilocks
  • Gone Afloat
  • Gongoozler
  • Gongoozler's Delight
  • Good Hope
  • Good Intent
  • Good Mooring
  • Gouda Life
  • Grand Reunion
  • Granny Smith
  • Great Expectations
  • Grey Heron
  • Grey Wagtail
  • Greylag
  • Gudgeon

H: 16 names

  • Half Term
  • Harecastle Hare
  • Harriet
  • Hawthorn
  • Hazy Days
  • Her Indoors
  • Her Ladyship
  • Heron
  • Hetty
  • Him Outdoors
  • Hire Calling
  • Holiday Mood
  • Hollyhock
  • Honeysuckle
  • Hoop op Zegen
  • Horse Brass

I: 3 names

  • Industry
  • Innisfree
  • Ivy May

J: 7 names

  • Jack and Jill
  • Jenny Wren
  • Jessie
  • Jones the Boat
  • Jumblies
  • Just Drifting
  • Just Pottering

K: 7 names

  • Kennet Rose
  • Kettle's On
  • Kingcup
  • Kingfisher
  • Kingfisher Blue
  • Kith and Kin
  • Kitty

L: 35 names

  • L Plates
  • Lady Charlotte
  • Lady Eleanor
  • Lady Jane
  • Lady Lavender
  • Lady Mabel
  • Lady of Leisure
  • Lady of Shalott
  • Lady of the Cut
  • Lancaster Rose
  • Lapwing
  • Large Barge
  • Lark Rise
  • Late Starter
  • Lavender Blue
  • Leading Lady
  • Learner Driver
  • Leeboard
  • Left Hand Down a Bit
  • Legging It
  • Lengthsman
  • Life in the Slow Lane
  • Little Grebe
  • Lizzie
  • Llangollen Lass
  • Lock and Roll
  • Lock Keeper's Daughter
  • Lock Ness
  • Lock Star
  • Lock Stock and Barrel
  • Lonely as a Cloud
  • Long Pound
  • Lottie
  • Lucky Lady
  • Lucy Ann

M: 39 names

  • Mabel
  • Macclesfield Maid
  • Maggie
  • Mallard
  • Marge the Barge
  • Marsh Marigold
  • Martha
  • Mary Ann
  • Mary Ellen
  • Maud
  • May Queen
  • Maybe Tomorrow
  • Meadowsweet
  • Meander
  • Mersey Maid
  • Micawber
  • Midland Maid
  • Midsummer Dream
  • Milady
  • Mill on the Floss
  • Mind the Cill
  • Mini Break
  • Minnie
  • Minnow
  • Minnow on the Say
  • Mole End
  • Montgomery Maid
  • Montmorency
  • Moochin' About
  • Moor the Merrier
  • Moorhen
  • Mooring Glory
  • Mooring Has Broken
  • Morgenster
  • Mr and Mrs
  • Muddy Paws
  • Mum's the Word
  • Mute Swan
  • My Fair Lady

N: 13 names

  • Nan's Folly
  • Narrow Dog
  • Narrow Escape
  • Narrow Minded
  • Narrowly Missed
  • Nellie
  • Nene Dream
  • Nest Egg
  • No Fixed Abode
  • No Rush
  • Nooit Gedacht
  • Northern Soul
  • Number One

O: 17 names

  • Oberon
  • Old Dutch
  • Old Girl
  • Olive
  • On Tickover
  • Onward
  • Oops a Daisy
  • Open Plan
  • Otter
  • Otter's Holt
  • Our Gracie
  • Our Hideaway
  • Our Kid
  • Our Mutual Friend
  • Our Nell
  • Owl and the Pussycat
  • Oxford Blue

P: 30 names

  • Paddle Gear
  • Painted Can
  • Painted Lady
  • Patience
  • Pea Green Boat
  • Peace and Quiet
  • Peak Forest Lass
  • Pen and Cob
  • Pennine Lass
  • Pension Pot
  • Perseverance
  • Persuasion
  • Pickwick
  • Pioneer
  • Pipistrelle
  • Piscator
  • Polished Brass
  • Polly
  • Pond Skater
  • Poohsticks
  • Poop Poop
  • Postcard Home
  • Posy
  • Potteries Pride
  • Pottering About
  • Pound for Pound
  • Progress
  • Prospero
  • Prudence
  • Puddleby

Q: 3 names

  • Queen of Hearts
  • Queen of the Cut
  • Queenie

R: 23 names

  • Ragged Robin
  • Rambling Rose
  • Ratty and Mole
  • Ratty's Rest
  • Reed Bunting
  • Reed Warbler
  • Reliance
  • Ribbon Plate
  • Rich Tea
  • Ringmaster
  • River Bank
  • Room to Swing
  • Rosa Mundi
  • Rosalind
  • Rose and Castle
  • Rose Madder
  • Rosebud
  • Rosehip
  • Roses and Castles
  • Rosie Lee
  • Round the Ring
  • Run Softly
  • Runcible Spoon

S: 38 names

  • Sacred River
  • Sand Martin
  • Sarah Jane
  • Scumble
  • Sedge Warbler
  • Severn Belle
  • Ship's Cat
  • Short Cut
  • Shroppie Lass
  • Signwriter's Pride
  • Silver Eel
  • Simply Messing About
  • Skylark
  • Slack Water
  • Slow and Steady
  • Slow Motion
  • Slowly Does It
  • Smith and Daughters
  • Snark
  • Soar Point
  • Sorry About That
  • Speedwell
  • Spending the Inheritance
  • Staycation
  • Stern Words
  • Stickleback
  • Still Roamin
  • Stoppage Time
  • Stour Lass
  • Straight and Narrow
  • Stravaig
  • Stream in the Sky
  • Summit Pound
  • Swan Neck
  • Swan of Avon
  • Sweet Pea
  • Sweet William
  • Swing Bridge

T: 60 names

  • Tadpole
  • Tame Otter
  • Tarka
  • Tea Rose
  • Teal
  • Teasel
  • Tempus Fugit
  • Thames Lass
  • Thames Rambler
  • The Barge Inn
  • The Black Swan
  • The Boat Horse
  • The Cat and Fiddle
  • The Coach and Horses
  • The Cross Keys
  • The Dog and Duck
  • The Duchess
  • The Fox and Hounds
  • The Good Life
  • The Great Escape
  • The Green Man
  • The Jolly Boatman
  • The Lamb and Flag
  • The Lump Sum
  • The Malt Shovel
  • The Navigation
  • The Packet
  • The Pig and Whistle
  • The Plough
  • The Quiet Life
  • The Red Lion
  • The Royal Oak
  • The Three Horseshoes
  • The Wheatsheaf
  • The White Hart
  • The Wild Wood
  • This Is the Life
  • Three Men in a Boat
  • Three Sisters
  • Thrift
  • Tiller Girl
  • Tiller the End
  • Tiller Thrills
  • Tiller Tomorrow
  • Tiller We Meet Again
  • Tirra Lirra
  • Titania
  • Tjalk of the Town
  • To Say Nothing of the Dog
  • Toad Hall
  • Tomorrow Will Do
  • Top Lock
  • Towpath Tango
  • Tranquillity
  • Trent and Mersey Maid
  • Trent Wanderer
  • Tudor Rose
  • Tulip Time
  • Tunnel Vision
  • Two Brothers

U: 6 names

  • Uncle Albert
  • Under the Greenwood Tree
  • Unhurried
  • Unity
  • Up the Cut
  • Up the Junction

V: 4 names

  • Venture
  • Verity
  • Vertrouwen
  • Vrouwe Johanna

W: 33 names

  • Wandering Star
  • Warwickshire Lad
  • Water Boatman
  • Water Lily
  • Water Mint
  • Water Rail
  • Water Vole
  • Wayfarers All
  • Weaver's Dream
  • Wedlock
  • Week Afloat
  • Weeping Willow
  • Well Rounded
  • Welsh Dragon
  • West Country Lass
  • Wey Out
  • Wheelhouse View
  • Which Way Now
  • Wide Awake
  • Wide Berth
  • Wide Load
  • Wigeon
  • Willowherb
  • Wind in the Willows
  • Wind Lass
  • Winding Down
  • Winding Hole
  • Windlass in Hand
  • Windlass Wanderer
  • Winifred
  • Wish You Were Here
  • Worth the Wait
  • Wye Not

X: 1 name

  • Xanadu

Y: 3 names

  • Yellow Flag
  • Yellowhammer
  • Yorkshire Lass

Z: 1 name

  • Zeldenrust