Naming Issue

The name Thousand Sunny is a name suggested by Iceburg that describes a ship sailing through a thousand seas like the sun. However before the ship was properly named as thus, a couple of names were suggested by the crew.[13] Most of which were suggested by Luffy and involved the word lion in it. The following are those names suggested by the crew.

    Bear!! Polar Bear!! Lion (クマ!!白クマ!!ライオン号 Kuma!! Shirokuma!! Raion Gō?): Luffy's first suggestion for the ship's name.

    Tiger!! Wolf!! Lion (トラ!!狼!!ライオン号 Tora!! Ōkami!! Raion Gō?): Luffy's second suggestion for the ship's name.

    Squid!! Octopus!! Chimpanzee (イカ!!タコ!!チンパンジー Ika Tako Chinpanjī?): Luffy's third suggestion for the ship's name.

    Dumpling, Gorilla, Lion (ダンゴ・ゴリラ・ライオン号 Dango Gorira Raion Gō?): Luffy's fourth suggestion for the ship's name.

    Boss Lionel (ライオネル親方 Raioneru Oyakata?): Zoro's suggestion for the ship's name.

    Darkness (暗黒丸 Ankoku-maru?): Robin's suggestion for the ship's name.

    Monsieur Sunflower (ムッシュひまわり Musshu Himawari?): Sanji's own suggestion for the ship's name.

    New Battle Franky, Lion Gang Champion (ニューバトルフランキー「ライオンギャングチャンピオン号」 Nyu Batoru Furanki "Raion Gyangu Chanpion Gō"?): A name which Franky intended to call the ship.

This naming issue had also affected fans and readers alike before the ship was actually named. Many assumed that the ship's name was "King of Beasts" due to Iceburg's comment that the Pirate King should ride a ship with the theme of the king of all beasts, a lion.[32]

In Chapters 489 and 495, as well as in Strong World, Brook called the Sunny "Lion-Chan", much to Franky's chagrin.