Dungeness seems to have appeared late in the song versions, as a substitute for (misheard?) Dungeon in the Hollander text. The only constant name in the song is "Flying Cloud."

In the Newfoundland version (above) the Spanish ship, Sanvo, is misheard San --- or Santa ----, if not completely an invention. The lucky shot that hit the mast was the Flying Cloud's downfall in that version; nothing to do with speed before the wind. In the old naval chases I read about as a child, becalming could stop any ship.

Reading through George Washington's diaries, most daily additions have a description of the weather conditions. He wrote several times of "flying clouds." The ship's name may have come from one of the builder's remembering this, or another's colorful weather comments.