In the movie, "The Matrix", why did they name their ship "The Nebuchudnezzar"?

Because that’s the way it was in the script.

It sounds like you already know the answer from your details post.

It is about having a wake-up call after wandering in the wilderness so to speak. From All About Philosophy:

Nebuchadnezzar
“However, late in his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had a philosophical wake-up call. Overnight, he went from mighty king to wandering madman, as he was stricken with a psycho-mania, which caused him to act like an animal. He grew long hair and nails, roaming about the countryside grazing on grass.

Seven years into his malady, Nebuchadnezzar returned to his senses; immediately, he knew his lifelong mistake. A once Godless ruler was now a God-fearing man. In fact, his own philosophical journey was recorded in the ancient texts of the prophet Daniel, who was living as a captive in Babylon: ”

@Marina , Actually I don’t have an answer. I’ve asked it before here in there, and it remains one interesting facet of a movie replete with paradoxes and philosophy.

The best answer I could ever muster was: Maybe it was so named because the ship was a machine, and it was a sarcastic jab.

I think you may very well be correct in the light of the Babylonian king’s change of heart.

@AstroChuck , OMG!!! You answered with a joke in the first post position!!! I’m not sure, but I think you caused Armageddon.

<< hangs head in shame :( >>

because it sounds better than “The Prometheus”

Wasn’t it Nebuchadnezzar who saw the handwriting on the wall—giving us that very useful cliche?

Mene mene tekel upharsin: “Thou hast been weighed in the balances and found wanting.”

I’m remembering this from Sunday school.

I think Morpheus named his ship Nebuchadnezzar because he knew how much it would piss off Agent Smith and that was good enough for him.

@Bluefreedom- Morpheus didn’t name the ship. The plaque that bears the ship’s name shows a commission date that pre-dates him.

@AstroChuck. I should have known that. Neo lied to me.

@Bluefreedom- You should know to never trust a man who would beat Tina Turner.

@AstroChuck. Words of wisdom. I’m going to mull those over.

http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/merovingians/blueapples/blueapples_08.htm

Possibly a reference to a stargate (or portal), which would kind of fit since the ship is where everyone gets in and out of the Matrix.

I think…(which is dangerous)
Nebby was not a Jew. Under Mosaic law he could not be saved, because he was not of the seed of Abraham. When he Nebby threw the Hebrew boys in the furnace he saw 3 plus 1 more. He said that one looked like the son of God. Although He became a believer, Nebby was in a state of limbo. Although he was delivered from darkness and believed there was no salvation until the one came, Jesus. The people on the ship were just like Nebby. They had to wait for the one Neo to come so that the prophecy could be fulfilled. Neo would save them from this state of limbo.