USS

USS stands for United States Ship and is the prefix used to designate commissioned vessels of the United States Navy. The prefix accompanies the ship's formal name and hull number in official designation, for example USS Enterprise (CV-6) or USS Constitution. The prefix signals that the vessel is a commissioned warship or support ship operated as part of the Navy; the prefix is not used for private ships or for ships of other nations.

In contrast, ships that are not commissioned—such as many support vessels operated by the Military Sealift Command—use the prefix USNS, standing for United States Naval Ship, with civilian crews or mixed crews.

Naval ships also carry a hull classification symbol that indicates type and mission, such as CVN for aircraft carriers, DDG for guided-munition destroyers, or SSN for submarines. The combination of the prefix USS (or USNS) with the ship name and hull symbol is standard in official listings and in everyday reference.

Notable examples include USS Enterprise (CV-6), a prominent World War II aircraft carrier; USS Constitution, a historic frigate; and modern ships such as USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000). The prefix remains a formal marker of commissioned status in the United States Navy and its public-facing records.