What does SS mean in SS Titanic?
Emily Sparks
Published Jan 04, 2026
The Titanic was initially known as the SS Titanic ('SS' meaning Screw Steamer, i.e. driven by propellers or screws, also standing for 'Steamship'), only becoming officially recognised as the RMS Titanic after first carrying the Royal Mail. 'RMS' refers to Royal Mail Ship or Royal Mail Steamer.
What does the SS stand for on ships?
Ship prefixes used on merchant vessels are mainly to point out the propulsion technique employed in the ship, such as the abbreviation “SS” means “steamship”, indicating that the ship runs on steam propulsion.Why is it called the SS Titanic?
The name Titanic derives from the Titans of Greek mythology. Built in Belfast, Ireland, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the RMS Titanic was the second of the three Olympic-class ocean liners—the first was the RMS Olympic and the third was the HMHS Britannic.Was Titanic SS or RMS?
Today, the SS United States remains the largest passenger ship ever built in America. The RMS Titanic was the largest moving object ever built back in 1912, but its reign was short-lived. If she had never struck an iceberg, Titanic's place in history would have been quickly eclipsed by larger, faster ships.What does SS stand for in ww2?
Founded in 1925, the “Schutzstaffel,” German for “Protective Echelon,” initially served as Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler's (1889-1945) personal bodyguards, and later became one of the most powerful and feared organizations in all of Nazi Germany.S.S. Titanic or R.M.S. Titanic?
What was the Titanic's nickname?
All of these exciting features gave the Titanic nicknames like the “Unsinkable Ship” and the “Wonder Ship.” Over 900 people worked on the Titanic, including crew members, cooks and servers in the dining room, and the Captain himself, Captain Edward John Smith.What does HMS and SS stand for?
They are... RMS - Royal Mail Ship HMS - Her Majesty's Ship SS - Steam Ship USS - United States Ship.What was the Titanic's full name?
The RMS Titanic, a luxury steamship, sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912, off the coast of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic after sideswiping an iceberg during its maiden voyage. Of the 2,240 passengers and crew on board, more than 1,500 lost their lives in the disaster.What does RMS stand for Titanic?
Not many people know that RMS stands for Royal Mail Ship – at the time though it stood for 'Royal Mail Steamer' – indicating that the Titanic was contracted to carry mail.What does USS stand for?
A Note on Navy Ship Name PrefixesThe prefix “USS,” meaning “United States Ship,” is used in official documents to identify a commissioned ship of the Navy. It applies to a ship while she is in commission. Before commissioning, or after decommissioning, she is referred to by name, with no prefix.