Note 164 — Chapter XII · STEAM NAVIGATION—THE ‘GREAT EASTERN’ STEAM-SHIP. THE LAUNCH. A.D. 1857—1858. ÆTATIS 52.

The ship had always been spoken of as the ‘Great Eastern,’ and this name was specially agreeable to Mr. Brunel. It was not a point on which he set much store, but his views were pretty well known; and, as the name had not been of his choosing, but had rather grown out of the name of the Company, and the natural association of ideas with his first ship, the ‘Great Western,’ it might reasonably have been supposed that it would have been adopted. But some fastidious person suggested that the name was objectionable, as consisting of two adjectives. A list of names was prepared and submitted to Mr. Brunel on the day of the launch at the moment when he was busiest. He said off-hand that they might call it ‘Tom Thumb’ if they liked. The Directors, however, selected the name ‘Leviathan,’ and so the ship was christened. The new name never stuck to the ship, and she was registered as the ‘Great Eastern.’