There is an old tradition that is it bad luck to change a boat's name. I don't thing many believe that these days, but I don't believe in changing it for the sake of it, so if the name is ok, I leave them alone. However, our first boat, a red hulled, white topped 20' trailer yacht, had been recently repainted when we bought it, and it had changed hands quickly with the owner we bought it off having had it only briefly, but had not liked the original name, and not renamed it after painting it, and he had forgotten what it was before he painted it.
My boys were about 10 and 12, and that was 1978, so no real surprise she became Princess Leia. It suited her, and when I later learned she was originally Bryllyg, I was not sorry we had renamed her, because although I could have lived with Bryllyg, everybody would be asking,"where did that come from."
Actually, who can volunteer where it did come from? If you have to Google it don't say, ok. Some folks might know this...
Our next boat was a maxi trailer-yacht, and the personal craft, owned by the manufacturer, which he used as a demo vessel, so it was immaculately fitted out, with all the good gear, but he also loved to race - and win - so he liked intimidating names - literally, so she was called Black Widow. We kept it, but my wife was never in love with the name but I quite liked it, as she looked like she was going fast even sitting on the trailer, so it sort of suited her. His previous yachts had been called, Intimidator, The Wasp, Scorpion, then after ours, Black Adder, and Tarantula...get the drift. The Wasp was rather snappy as it was painted in 1 foot wide stripes longitudinally right round the body in alternating yellow and dark green stripes just like a wasp, and looked terrific - the other names...well...they said something I guess.
Our first diesel cruiser was Julie Robyn, so we kept that name, but only owned her 3 years. Then came Lotus. We like it, and it is easy to repeat, needs no explanations, and is not embarrassing. I tend to agree with what others have said re how it sounds repeated 3 times hailing someone - that's the acid test...of course if it is snappy and says something as well...makes some sort of statement as well, then all the better. But there always needs to be that guiding principle, what does it sound like to others repeated over the air..? As one other thread said, "what's in a name?" - quite a lot really...
