The white ship on blue field in Philip’s flag for this county is derived from the symbol

of the county as used in the council arms. In the flag, the blue also serves to symbolise the area’s earlier name of Strathgryffe, after the River Gryffe that flows from west to east in the county. Additionally, this wide blue middle stripe between the two yellow ones, recalls the arms of the famous Stewart clan who originated in the county; again seen in the council arms. The same lymphad vessel as found on the former council arems is used on the flag in white silhouette against the dark blue of the middle stripe.

Another proposal from Brady Ells also includes the lymphad vessel from the Renfrewshire County Council coat of arms which is positioned at the top of the flag, in the style of the flag of Jersey. The design    reworks the Stewart checks found in the council arms as a saltire in reference to the national flag of Scotland. These arms feature heavily on the arms of the burghs across the county including;

the Royal Burgh of Renfrew , granted in 1676;

the Burgh of Paisley,  granted in 1912;

the Burgh of Gourock,   granted in 1954;

and the Burgh of Johnstone, granted in 1955.