SF Chronicle Contest Lets Readers Name Five New Bay Ferry Vessels

Five new all-electric ferries are coming to San Francisco Bay between 2027 and 2029, and the Chronicle's Total SF project wants Bay Area readers to name them.

The Chronicle partnered with San Francisco Bay Ferry to launch the public naming contest, inviting submissions that reflect maritime or Bay Area themes. The five vessels will serve passengers to Treasure Island, Mission Bay and Alameda, and will carry full electric power with seating for up to 400 depending on the design. Construction is already underway: SF Bay Ferry Board Chair Jim Wunderman welded a frame during a keel-laying ceremony at All American Marine in Bellingham, Washington, where at least one of the new 150-passenger hulls is being built.

The contest carries a significant incentive. Submit a winning name and the Chronicle says you could travel free for a year, billed in promotional copy as a "golden ticket."

The rules narrow the field considerably. Ferries cannot be named after humans, corporations or products, and all final names require approval by the SF Bay Ferry Board of Directors. Finalists will be selected jointly by the Chronicle and ferry officials, then put to a public vote by Chronicle readers before the board takes them up for formal adoption. Priority goes to names that express maritime or local themes and celebrate life in the Bay Area.

The fleet has a rich naming tradition to live up to. Karl and Zalophus were among the last two ferries named, with Karl a nod to the Bay's famous fog and Zalophus the Latin name for sea lions. Before those two were chosen, Cioppino, Chowder and Painted Lady were among the finalists. Other vessels in the fleet carry names drawn from constellations and astrological signs, including Delphinus, Carina and Scorpio.

Ferry spokesman Thomas Hall made clear why the agency wanted the public involved this time. "People have such a great sense of community and culture and history here in the Bay Area," Hall said. "I'm very excited for this stage."

The contest has already drawn creative entries on social media. One commenter suggested a slate that ranged from Norton I and Humphrey to Gold Rush and Boatzilla, a list that captures the mix of historical reverence and absurdist energy that has long defined Bay Area public life.

Chronicle writer Peter Hartlaub, who has commuted by ferry for a decade, framed the stakes simply: each boat having a name transforms a transit ride into something more personal. With five new electric vessels set to carry Treasure Island residents, Mission Bay commuters and Alameda riders across the Bay for decades, the names they carry will stick. Full contest rules and submission details are available at sfchronicle.com.