The Homestuck fandom has a large and diverse cast of characters, so there are many potential ships. Homestuck ships use a mix of portmanteaus and full virgule titles when referring to a ship. It is also popular to come up with joke names for ships. One blog devoted to such names can be found here.
Naming Conventions
The Virgule
As in many other fandoms, romantic pairings are most commonly denoted by a slash, or virgule, separating the characters' names. For example, a story labeled as "John Egbert/Dave Strider" refers to a romantic (and/or sexual) work whose primary couple is John Egbert and Dave Strider.
Abbreviations
It is not common for Homestuck pairings to use abbreviated initials. This is partly due to the fact that many characters use aliases for their online chat clients which are also initials. For example, John Egbert's Screen Name is "ectoBiologist" which is shortened to EB. This leads to many different abbreviations. Another factor may be that almost every pair of initials, both chat handles and full names, is intentionally repeated between multiple characters. For example, Dave Strider and Dirk Strider are both popular characters that abbreviate to DS. Dave's chat handle matches Roxy's in abbreviating to TG, and Dirk's matches Rose's with TT. Instead, portmanteaus are used.
Portmanteaus
Portmanteaus are more common in Homestuck ship names. For example, Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam is often referred to as Rosemary. Portmanteau names tend to be used more with popular pairings in Homestuck; lesser known pairings do not have as widely accepted names. Because all the human kid characters' first names are only four letters long, pairing names between them tend to follow the format NameName.
Quadrants
The trolls have their own specific, complicated romance system, divided into four "quadrants". The four quadrants are: Matespritship ♥, Moirallegiance ♦, Auspisticism ♣, Kismesissitude ♠.
The heart, diamond, club, and spade symbol are used similarly to how romantic pairings are denoted by a slash, or virgule, separating the characters' names. For example, a story labeled as "Gamzee Makara♠Karkat Vantas" refers to a "black" romantic work whose primary couple is Gamzee Makara and Karkat Vantas. This style is typically only used when at least one troll character is involved. Emoticon versions of these symbols are also used: Matespritship <3, Moirallegiance <>, Auspisticism c3<, Kismesissitude <3<. Multiple quadrants may be combined in one "pairing" tag, such as "Gamzee Makara <> Karkat Vantas <3 Nepeta Leijon."
Common Pairing Names
Het Pairings
| Characters Involved
|
Primary Pairing Name
|
Portmanteau /
Other Names
|
| John Egbert/Rose Lalonde
|
John Egbert/Rose Lalonde
|
JohnRose, Grimdorks
|
| John Egbert/Jade Harley
|
John Egbert/Jade Harley
|
JohnJade, Prospitcest
|
| Dave Strider/Rose Lalonde
|
Dave Strider/Rose Lalonde
|
RoseDave, DaveRose, Dersecest, Knightlight
|
| Dave Strider/Jade Harley
|
Dave Strider/Jade Harley
|
DaveJade, JadeDave, Time and Space, Spacetime
|
| John Egbert/Vriska Serket
|
John Egbert/Vriska Serket
|
Johnvris, Con Heir, Spider8reath
|
| Jade Harley/Karkat Vantas
|
Jade Harley/Karkat Vantas
|
Kats 'n Dogs, Jadekat
|
| Dave Strider/Terezi Pyrope
|
Dave Strider/Terezi Pyrope
|
Daverezi, Cherry Glare
|
| Karkat Vantas/Terezi Pyrope
|
Karkat Vantas/Terezi Pyrope
|
Karezi, Adorabloodthirsty, Candy Red
|
| John Egbert/Roxy Lalonde
|
John Egbert/Roxy Lalonde
|
Breathalyzer, Roxygen
|
| Vriska Serket/Tavros Nitram
|
Vriska Serket/Tavros Nitram
|
Vristav, Tavris, Tavriska, Spiderbull
|
| Sollux Captor/Aradia Megido
|
Sollux Captor/Aradia Megido
|
AraSol, Solara, Soladia, Maid of Honey, Honeymaid
|
| Equius Zahhak/Aradia Megido
|
Equius Zahhak/Aradia Megido
|
Equiara
|
| Nepeta Leijon ♦ Equius Zahhak
|
Nepeta Leijon ♦ Equius Zahhak
|
Meowrails, STRONG Catnip
|
| Eridan Ampora/Feferi Peixes
|
Eridan Ampora/Feferi Peixes
|
EriFef, Feferidan, Arrowfish
|
| Sollux Captor/Feferi Peixes
|
Sollux Captor/Feferi Peixes
|
SolFef
|
| Nepeta Leijon/Karkat Vantas
|
Nepeta Leijon/Karkat Vantas
|
Karkitten, Karcat, Katnep, Nepkat
|
| Kanaya Maryam/Karkat Vantas
|
Kanaya Maryam/Karkat Vantas
|
Kankat, Karkan, Karnaya, Bloody Mary
|
| Gamzee Makara/Terezi Pyrope
|
Gamzee Makara/Terezi Pyrope
|
Gamrezi, Court Jesters, Juggalo Justice, Blind Rag
|
| Calliope/Caliborn
|
Calliope/Caliborn
|
Uucest, Cherry Limeade
|
| Characters Involved
|
Primary Pairing Name
|
Portmanteau /
Other Names
|
| John Egbert/Dave Strider
|
John Egbert/Dave Strider
|
JohnDave, Hammertime, Pepsi Cola
|
| John Egbert/Karkat Vantas
|
John Egbert/Karkat Vantas
|
Johnkat, Communism, Hammer and Sickle
|
| Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas
|
Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas
|
Davekat, Crabapples
|
| Gamzee Makara/Karkat Vantas
|
Gamzee Makara/Karkat Vantas
|
Gamkat, Gamkar, Moirails with Benefits, A Knight of Honks
|
| Gamzee Makara/Tavros Nitram
|
Gamzee Makara/Tavros Nitram
|
GamTav, PBJ
|
| Eridan Ampora/Sollux Captor
|
Eridan Ampora/Sollux Captor
|
Erisol, Aerosol
|
| Sollux Captor/Karkat Vantas
|
Sollux Captor/Karkat Vantas
|
Solkat, Ketchup and Mustard
|
| Tavros Nitram/Dave Strider
|
Tavros Nitram/Dave Strider
|
Davros, DaveTav, Time for Sick Fires, Timetabull
|
| Jake English/Dirk Strider
|
Jake English/Dirk Strider
|
DirkJake, JakeDirk, Pumpkin, Pistol Pony Rodeo, Skullcap
|
Dave Strider/Dirk Strider or
Dave Strider/Bro Strider
|
Dave Strider/Dirk Strider or
Dave Strider/Bro Strider
|
Stridercest
|
| Dirk Strider/Caliborn
|
Dirk Strider/Caliborn
|
Dirkuu
|
| Dirk Strider/John Egbert
|
Dirk Strider/John Egbert
|
Dirkjohn, JohnDirk, Tide Pod
|
| Cronus Ampora/Kankri Vantas
|
Cronus Ampora/Kankri Vantas
|
Cronkri
|
| Characters Involved
|
Primary Pairing Name
|
Portmanteau /
Other Names
|
| Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam
|
Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam
|
Rosemary, Grimsnark
|
| Rose Lalonde/Jade Harley
|
Rose Lalonde/Jade Harley
|
JadeRose, RoseJade, Gun 'n Roses, Riflerose
|
| Kanaya Maryam/Vriska Serket
|
Kanaya Maryam/Vriska Serket
|
Vriskan, Spidermoth, Sparkling Sapphires
|
| Jade Harley/Kanaya Maryam
|
Jade Harley/Kanaya Maryam
|
Jadekan, Spaceship
|
| Terezi Pyrope/Vriska Serket
|
Terezi Pyrope/Vriska Serket
|
Vrisrezi, Scourge Sisters, Scourgecest
|
| Jane Crocker/Roxy Lalonde
|
Jane Crocker/Roxy Lalonde
|
Cotton Candy, Janeroxy, Lime Martini
|
| Calliope/Roxy Lalonde
|
Calliope/Roxy Lalonde
|
Callieroxy, Margarita, Skullcandy
|
| Calliope/Jane Crocker
|
Calliope/Jane Crocker
|
Key Lime Pie, Janecallie
|
| Meenah Peixes/Aranea Serket
|
Meenah Peixes/Aranea Serket
|
Les8ifins, Gillfronds, Hardcore Sweeties
|
| Meenah Peixes/Vriska Serket
|
Meenah Peixes/Vriska Serket
|
Les8ifins 2.0, Vrismeen
|
| Rose Lalonde/Vriska Serket
|
Rose Lalonde/Vriska Serket
|
Rosevris, Vrisrose
|
| Aradia Megido/Feferi Peixes
|
Aradia Megido/Feferi Peixes
|
Arafef
|
| Terezi Pyrope/Nepeta Leijon
|
Terezi Pyrope/Nepeta Leijon
|
Scratch and Sniff, Neprezi
|
| Rose Lalonde/Terezi Pyrope
|
Rose Lalonde/Terezi Pyrope
|
Roserezi
|
| Jade Harley/Terezi Pyrope
|
Jade Harley/Terezi Pyrope
|
Jaderezi
|
| Kanaya Maryam/Terezi Pyrope
|
Kanaya Maryam/Terezi Pyrope
|
Kanrezi
|
| Jade Harley/Feferi Peixes
|
Jade Harley/Feferi Peixes
|
Jadefef
|
| Jade Harley/Vriska Serket
|
Jade Harley/Vriska Serket
|
Jadevris
|
| Jade Harley/Roxy Lalonde
|
Jade Harley/Roxy Lalonde
|
Jaderoxy, Cats and Dogs
|
| Jade Harley/Nepeta Leijon
|
Jade Harley/Nepeta Leijon
|
Jadenep
|
| Aradia Megido/Jade Harley
|
Aradia Megido/Jade Harley
|
Arajade, Jaderadia, Spacetime
|
| Aradia Megido/Vriska Serket
|
Aradia Megido/Vriska Serket
|
Aravris
|
| Aradia Megido/Nepeta Leijon
|
Aradia Megido/Nepeta Leijon
|
Aranep
|
| Feferi Peixes/Nepeta Leijon
|
Feferi Peixes/Nepeta Leijon
|
Fefnep, Nepfef
|
| Roxy Lalonde/Meenah Peixes
|
Roxy/Meenah
|
Cotton Condy
|
Threesomes & Moresomes
References