Female pirates have been a part of history for centuries, but it is difficult to know what they were called. Many disguised themselves as men to fit into pirate crews undetected, and female pirates were a minority. Some famous female pirates include:

• Anne Bonny: She was a member of Calico Jacks crew and is probably the most famous female pirate to sail during the Golden Age.

• Mary Read: She was also a member of Calico Jacks crew and dressed as a man to fit in.

• Grace OMalley: She was an Irish "Pirate Queen" who grew up in a seafaring clan and married well.

• Ching Shih: She was a prostitute who became the wife of a pirate named Cheng Yi. Together they sailed the seas and amassed a pirate army known as the Red Flag Fleet. Upon Cheng Yis death, Ching Shih took command of the fleet, which consisted of hundreds of ships and some 50,000 pirates.

• Teuta of Illyria: She was one of the earliest known female pirates and was also a queen.

• Lady Mary Killigrew: She was a few generations before Elizabeth Killigrew and indulged in piracy herself while her husband was away.

Since many female pirates disguised themselves as men, it is difficult to know what they were called.