The table below is a list of United States Navy ships named after U.S. states. The practice of naming commissioned ships for U.S. states and territories dates back to the Continental Navy during the time of the American Revolution. The conventions for naming ships of the US Navy were made law in 1862;
A large majority of the ships named for states are battleships (BB), followed by submarines (SSN, SSBN & SSGN). The remainder are cruisers (ACR & CGN), monitors (BM) and patrol craft (SP) and an amphibious transport dock (LPD).
As of March 2021, thirty-seven ships currently in commission are named after U.S. states and one is named after a territory. Eleven states and one territory have been announced as names for ships that are under construction or authorized. Two state names (Kansas and South Carolina) and four populated territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands) are not currently planned for use.
The , which envisions a class size of 66 attack submarines, is the most recent class to use state names, with 28 of the active and announced boats being named after U.S. states, though that convention appears to have changed. The of ballistic missile submarines has 17 boats with state names, and the (attack subs), the (missile subs) and the of amphibious transport docks use one name each, for a total of 48.
States + U.S. Navy ships named after U.S. states State Currently commissioned Formerly commissioned Remarks , , and were named for the Territory of Alaska, not the state authorized , , under construction , , , , , , was named for the Territory of Hawaii, not the state , , (cancelled), , (cancelled), , (cancelled), (cancelled), (cancelled), (cancelled), , , , (cancelled), , , , (cancelled), (cancelled), , (cancelled), , , , (cancelled), (cancelled), , authorized , , , (cancelled), , , under construction , , , , , , , , and are named after the president, not the state , , authorized ,
Territories and federal district + U.S. Navy ships named after U.S. territories and D.C. Territory Currently commissioned Formerly commissioned Remarks Populated territories cancelled before construction under construction. , , , & were named after American cities also named Columbia , , , and (), both named for the Battle of Saipan, which took place on the island of Saipan, the largest and most populous island and the capital of CNMI cancelled before construction was most likely named for St. Croix County, Wisconsin, as opposed to the USV Island of Saint Croix Minor territories , , Technically named after the Battle of Midway , Former territories cancelled before construction.
See also United States ship naming conventions
References Naval Vessel Register online at www.nvr.navy.mil.