What's in a name? When it comes to boats, there's usually a story

Some are simple, others take some thinking to figure out, and then there are the ones that have a specific meaning. The process of naming boats began thousands of years ago and was originally based on fear and superstition. As a safeguard, most were originally named to honor a god hoping it would keep them safe. Similarly, Christians would name their boats after saints looking for their protection. How about these three names, Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria. They were the three ships that Christopher Columbus set sail with to discover a new world, and he did, indeed! America! With that said, you probably wonder why today's ships and boats have names. The main reason is for identification purposes. Describing which boat you are talking about by using its name is a lot easier than trying to ID it by using a physical description. Giving them names helps people more easily know which boat to board and to identify boats at sea. For many locals these names may be very familiar: Edmund Fitzgerald, Roger Blough, William G. Mather or even the Miss Majestic. The Fitzgerald became a namesake after its famous sinking in a storm on Lake Superior on November 10, 1972. The Blough suffered a tragic fire while at the American Ship Building docks in Lorain in 1971. The Mather is on display in Cleveland at the Great Lakes Science Center. And we can't forget the popular Miss Majestic, the charter that graced our local waters for fisherman to embark on a day of fishing out of Lorain. Walking around a marina or anywhere around water you may see a boat with a fancy name plastered across the transom and wonder how that name came about. Some are pretty creative in the way they are worded or even incorporating pictures into the name. Each one has its own personality -- meaningful in one way or another. It's common to see a boat named after a loved one, a spouse or a child. A favorite food or beverage is popular as well. I've seen boats named after favorite species of fish targeted. Some, like "Dun Doc'n," "Knot on Call," "One Term" or "Smokin Eye" all have great meanings. Can you figure them out? Dun Doc'n is the boat of, yes, a retired doctor. Another medical profession with a day off, Knot on Call. One Term may just stump you. Think public office for a moment -- the owner held office for one term. Smokin Eye came about from the limits of walleye put in the cooler. Just out of curiosity I did some digging on the web and found that, according to The Boat Owners Association of the United States, the most popular boat name for 2019 was Aquaholic. According to BoatUS, this name makes a triumphant return to the Top 10 after four years of being absent. If your vessel's named Aquaholic, there's a good chance you're addicted to the water. Next time you're walking the docks take a look around and see what different names you can find. If you're lucky maybe you can talk to the owner for a great story.