Meryn Stol voted up this answer. Viola Yee There are lots of languages where every single inanimate object is either a "he" or a "she". French and German, just for example.  Some of that leaked over into English, but most of it is gone now. The usage for ships doesn't jive well with modern English, but mariners refuse to give it up, saying that ships have feminine personalities.  Now it's a tradition. See question on Quora - Meryn Stol