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A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.

Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often used inconsistently, and frequently not at all. Sometimes a slash is used to separate the letters, as in "M/S".

Naval prefixes came into use as abbreviations for longer titles, such as "His/Her Majesty's Ship" in the Royal Navy, abbreviated "H.M.S" and then "HMS". Earlier uses often included the type of vessel, as for instance "U.S.F." ("United States Frigate") for frigates of the United States Navy. Today the common practice is to use a single prefix for all warships of a nation's navy, and other prefixes for auxiliaries and ships of allied services, such as coast guards.

The use of ship prefixes is not universal; in particular neither the Third Reich's Kriegsmarine nor the Imperial Japanese Navy used ship prefixes. Some English-language writers use prefixes like "DKM" (for "Deutsche Kriegsmarine") and "HIJMS" (for "His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Ship") or "IJN" (for "Imperial Japanese Navy", a translation of 大日本帝国海軍 dai-nippon teikoku kaigun) for consistency with "HMS" and "USS". Other writers follow the practice of the navy and omit any prefix.

From the 20th century onwards, most navies identify ships by hull numbers — identification codes typically painted on the side of the ship. Each navy has its own system: the United States Navy uses hull classification symbols, and the Royal Navy and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth use pennant numbers.

These tables list both current and historical prefixes known to have been used.

Country	Service	Prefix	Meaning
Argentina	Argentine Navy	ARA	Navy of the Argentine Republic (Spanish: Armada de la Republica Argentina)
Australia	Royal Australian Navy	HMAS	His/Her Majesty's Australian Ship
Australia (Victoria)	Royal Navy	HMVS	His/Her Majesty's Victorian Ship (obsolete)
Bahamas	Bahamian Defense Force	HMBS	His/Her Majesty's Bahamian Ship
Bangladesh	Bangladesh Navy	BNS	Bangladesh Naval Ship
Barbados	Barbadan Defence Force	HMBS	His/Her Majesty's Barbadian Ship
Belgium	Belgian Navy	BNS	Belgium Naval Ship (NATO prefix)
Brunei	Royal Brunei Navy	KDB	Kapal Di-Raja Brunei — Royal Brunei Ship
Burma	Burmese Navy	UBS	Bamar Sit Yay Yin — Union of Burma Ship
Canada	Canadian Forces Maritime Command (MARCOM)	HMCS/NCSM	His/Her Majesty's Canadian Ship/Navire Canadien de Sa Majesté
		CFAV	Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessel[1] (operated by Defense R&D Canada)
	Canadian Coast Guard	CCGS	Canadian Coast Guard Ship
	Canadian Coast Guard	CCGC	Canadian Coast Guard Cutter
Colombia	Armada Nacional	ARC	Armada de la Republica de Colombia
Confederate States of America	Confederate States Navy	CSS	Confederate States Ship (obsolete)
Croatia	Croatian navy	HRM	Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica
Denmark	Royal Danish Navy	HDMS (Danish: KDM)	His/Her Danish Majesty's Ship (Danish: Kongelige Danske Marine)
Ecuador	Armada Ecuatoriana	BAE	Buque de la Armada de Ecuador
Estonia	Estonian Navy	ENS (Estonian: EML)	Estonian Naval Ship (NATO designation)
	Estonian Coast Guard	ECGS	Estonian Coast Guard Ship (NATO designation)
Fiji	??	RFNS	Republic of Fiji Naval Ship
Finland	Finnish Navy	FNS	Finnish Navy Ship. Prefixes are not used in Finnish-language communications.
France	French Navy	FS	French Ship (NATO designation); France does not use prefixes internally
German Empire	Kaiserliche Marine	SM U##	Seiner Majestät Unterseeboot (English: His Majesty's Submarine)
	Kaiserliche Marine	SMS	Seiner Majestät Schiff (English: His Majesty's Ship)
Nazi Germany	Kriegsmarine	—	(no prefix; some authors use "DKM" for "Deutsche Kriegsmarine" and "KMS" for "Kriegsmarine Schiffe")
West Germany	Bundesmarine	FGS	Federal German Ship (NATO designation); Germany does not use prefixes internally
Germany (reunited)	Deutsche Marine	FGS	Federal German Ship (NATO designation); Germany does not use prefixes internally
Greece	Hellenic Navy	HS	Hellenic Ship (NATO designation)
Guyana	??	GDFS	Guyanan Defense Forces Ship
Iceland	Icelandic Coast Guard	ICGV (Icelandic: VS)	Icelandic Coast Guard Vessel, (Icelandic:Varðskip)
India	Indian Navy (pre-Republic)	HMIS	His/Her Majesty's Indian Ship
India	Indian Coast Guard	CGS	Coast Guard Ship
	Indian Navy	INS	Indian Naval Ship
Indonesia	Indonesian Navy	KRI	Kapal Republik Indonesia (Republic of Indonesia Ship)
Ireland	Irish Naval Service	LÉ	Long Éireannach — Irish ship
Israel	Israeli Sea Corps	INS	Israeli Naval Ship (Internally Hebrew acronim אח"י (A.Ch.Y.) is used standing for אניית חיל הים (Oniyat Heyl HaYam - Sea Corps Ship)
Italy, Kingdom of (until 1946)	Regia Marina	RN	Regia Nave -- Royal Ship, sometimes unofficially "RM", standing for "Regia Marina"
	Regia Marina	R.Smg.	Regio Sommergibile -- Royal Submarine
Italy	Marina Militare	ITS	Italian Ship (NATO designation); Italy no longer uses prefixes
Empire of Japan	Imperial Japanese Navy	—	(no prefix; some authors use "HIJMS" for "His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Ship" and "IJN" for "Imperial Japanese Navy")
Japan	Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	JDS	Japan Defense Ship
Kenya	Kenyan Navy	KNS	Kenyan Naval Ship
South Korea	Republic of Korea Navy	ROKS	Republic of Korea Ship
Latvia	Latvian Navy	LVS	Latvian Ship (NATO designation)
Lithuania	Lithuanian Navy	LNS	Lithuanian Ship (NATO designation)
Malaysia	Royal Malaysian Navy	KD	Kapal Di-Raja — Royal Ship
Mexico	Armada de México	ARM	Armada de la República Mexicana
Myanmar	Tatmadaw Yay	UMS	Myanma Sit Yay Yin — Union of Myanmar Ship
Netherlands	Royal Netherlands Navy	HNLMS (Dutch: Hr.Ms. or Zr.Ms.)	His/Her Netherlands Majesty's Ship (Dutch: Harer Majesteits or Zijner Majesteits)
New Zealand	Royal New Zealand Navy	HMNZS	His/Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship
Nigeria	?	NNS	Nigerian Naval Ship
Norway	Royal Norwegian Navy	HNoMS (Norwegian: KNM)	His Norwegian Majesty's Ship (Norwegian: Kongelige Norske Marine)
	Norwegian Coast Guard	NoCGV (Norwegian: KV)	Norwegian Coast Guard Vessel (Norwegian: Kongelig Vakttjeneste)
Oman	?	SNV	Sultanate Naval Vessel
Pakistan	Pakistani Navy	PNS	Pakistani Naval Ship
Papua New Guinea	?	HMPNGS	His/Her Majesty's Papua New Guinea Ship
Peru	Peruvian Navy	BAP	Peruvian Navy Ship (Spanish: Buque Armada Peruana)
	Peruvian Navy	BIC	Scientific Research Ship (Spanish: Buque de Investigación Científica)
Philippines	Philippine Navy	BRP	Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (Ship of the Republic of the Philippines)
Poland	Polish Navy	ORP	Ship of the Republic of Poland (Polish: Okręt Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej)
Portugal	Marinha de Guerra Portuguesa	NRP	Portuguese Republic Ship (Navio da República Portuguesa)
Russia	Russian Navy	RFS	Russian Federation Ship; Russia does not use prefixes internally
Saudi Arabia	Saudi Navy	HMS	His Majesty's Ship — the same as the Royal Navy
Singapore	Republic of Singapore Navy	RSS	Republic of Singapore Ship
South Africa	South African Navy	SAS	South African Ship
Spain	Armada Española	SPS	Spanish Naval Ship (Spain does not use prefixes internally)
Sri Lanka	Sri Lankan Navy	SLNS	Sri Lanka Naval Ship
Sweden	Royal Swedish Navy	HMS	Hans/Hennes majestäts skepp — the same as the Royal Navy but in Swedish
Taiwan	Republic of China Navy	ROCS (older usage: CNS)	Republic of China Ship (older usage: Chinese Navy Ship)
Thailand	Royal Thai Navy	HTMS	His Thai Majesty's Ship
Turkey	Turkish Navy	TCG	Ship of the Turkish Republic (Turkish: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Gemisi)
Trinidad and Tobago	Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force	TTS	Trinidad and Tobago Ship
United Kingdom	Ships carrying mail	RMS	Royal Mail Steamer/Ship
	Fishery protection vessels	FPV	Fisheries Protection Vessel
	Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships	RFA	Royal Fleet Auxiliary
	Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service ships	RMAS	Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service
	Royal Navy	HM Sloop	His/Her Majesty's Sloop (now obsolete)
	Hospital ships	HMHS	His/Her Majesty's Hospital Ship
	Royal Navy	HMS	His/Her Majesty's Ship/Submarine
	Royal Navy	HMSm	His/Her Majesty's Submarine
	Royal Navy	HMT	His/Her Majesty's Tug (or Transport - not currently in use)
	Bark	HMB	His/Her Majesty's Bark (archaic)
	British Army	HMAV	His/Her Majesty's Army Vessel (not currently in use)
	Royal Air Force	HMAFV	His/Her Majesty's Air Force Vessel (not currently in use)
	Royal Navy	HMY	His/Her Majesty's Yacht (not currently in use)
	Royal Navy	HMMGB	His/Her Majesty's Motor Gun Boat (not currently in use)
	Royal Navy	HMM	His/Her Majesty's Monitor (not currently in use)
	Royal Navy	HMSML	His/Her Majesty's Small Motor Launch
	Joint Services	HMSTC	His/Her Majesty's Sail Training Craft
	Trinity House	THV	Trinity House Vessel (Lighthouse and Buoy Tender)
	Northern Lighthouse Board	NLV	Northern Lighthouse Vessel (Lighthouse tender)
	British Army	RCLV	Royal Corps of Logistics Vessel (not currently in use)
	Royal Navy	HBMS	His/Her Britannic Majesty's Ship (archaic)
	Government research ships	RRS	Royal Research Ship
United States	U.S. Air Force	USAF	United States Air Force ship (not currently in use)
	U.S. Air Force	USAFS	United States Air Force ship (not currently in use)
	U.S. Army	USAS	United States Army Ship
	U.S. Army	USAV	United States Army Vessel
	U.S. Army	USAT	United States Army Transport (not currently in use)
	U.S. Army	USAHS	United States Army Hospital Ship (not currently in use)
	U.S. Navy	USF	United States Frigate (obsolete)
	U.S. Navy	USFS	United States Flagship (obsolete)
	U.S. Navy	USS	United States Ship
	U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command	USNS	United States Naval Ship (USN owned, civilian crews)
	United States Coast Guard	USCGC	United States Coast Guard Cutter
	United States Revenue Cutter Service	USRC	United States Revenue Cutter (obsolete)
Uruguay	Uruguayan Navy	ROU	Republica Oriental del Uruguay
Venezuela	Venezuelan Navy	ARBV	Armada Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

The designations for United Kingdom ships applied at the time of the British Empire, before the establishment of separate navies for the Dominions.^{[citation needed]}

In the Royal Netherlands Navy, "HNLMS" is the prefix in English, a translation of the Dutch original "Hr.Ms." or "Zr.Ms.". "Hr.Ms." should preferably not be used English-language documents; nevertheless it is often seen on the World Wide Web. Until the moment a Dutch naval ship officially enters active service in the fleet, the ship's name is used without the prefix.

In the United States Navy, all prefixes other than "USS," "USNS" and "USRC" were obsoleted in 1901 when President Theodore Roosevelt signed into law a bill fixing American naval nomenclature. USRC was replaced by USCGC when the Revenue Cutter Service became the United States Coast Guard in 1915.

A United States ship that has not yet been commissioned in the Navy does not hold the title of USS, it holds the title of PCU (Pre-commissioned unit). For example, say a shipyard is building a new aircraft carrier:—the Flattop. From the date the keel is laid to the date it is commissioned, it is called the PCU Flattop. Only after it enters active service in the fleet and is commissioned will it be referred to as USS Flattop. In Australia, the prefix NUSHIP is used to denote ships that have yet to be commissioned into the fleet.

Note that while calling a US ship "the USS Flattop" may make grammatical sense, the preliminary article "the" is deprecated by nearly all style guides, and the U.S. Navy. The Navy uses ship names without article, except for USS The Sullivans, named for the five Sullivan brothers, all lost at sea during World War II. Its British equivalent ("the HMS Flattop") is also deprecated, since "the Her Majesty's Ship" would be grammatically incorrect.

In 1939, the British Ministry of Shipping adopted a standard naming system whereby all merchant ships ordered to be built in Britain to Government account, except very small ship types, would be given the prefix 'Empire' to their name. This applied to ships acquired through purchase, requisition, or taken in prize, with some exceptions. It also applied to older ships acquired from the USA, modern ships acquired on Lease/Lend arrangements, salved and refitted ships, and captured enemy ships.

• Warship National Prefixes