📸: Wrecked schooner J.H. RUTTER, P71-12-14, Wisconsin Maritime Museum Collections

We may never know the tradition's exact origins, but we do know that it is a centuries-old practice still often used, even though many vessels nowadays bear traditionally male or neutral names.

In some languages, such as Russian and French, the word for "ship" is actually a masculine noun. However, in both Latin and Hebrew, it is a feminine noun.

Additionally, while the English language tends to utilize gender-neutral nouns, many other languages use feminine, masculine, or other types of nouns.

The practice likely originated from ancient times when sailors primarily named their ships after female goddesses or loved ones, further reinforcing the feminine association.

Most sources speculate that the long-standing tradition associates a seafaring vessel with a female figure similar to a mother, who are often seen as protective and nurturing. This aligns with the idea of a ship carrying and protecting its crew through perilous journeys.

⚓ $80.00 donation = USS COBIA model
⚓ $150.00 donation = Souvenir metal piece from USS COBIA
⚓ $245.00 donation = Wooden coaster set made from USS COBIA deck wood
⚓ $500.00 donation = Wooden frame made from USS COBIA deck wood

If you would like to see one of Burger’s luxury wooden yachts up close, visit the Wisconsin Maritime Museum’s LADY ISABEL on display!

The Burger Boat Company was founded in 1863 by Henry Burger. It quickly gained a reputation throughout the Great Lakes for building quality vessels. This eventually expanded to also include ship repairs.