You did ask!

[Gob]

The good news for the Natural Environment Research Council’s decision to crowd-search a name for its latest polar research vessel is unprecedented public engagement in a sometimes niche area of scientific study.




The bad news? Sailing due south in a vessel that sounds like it was christened by a five-year-old who has drunk three cartons of Capri-Sun.

Just a day after the NERC launched its poll to name the £200m vessel – which will first head to Antarctica in 2019 – the clear favourite was RRS Boaty McBoatface, with well over 18,000 votes. The RRS stands for royal research ship.

Coming a distant second was the considerably more serious-minded suggestion of naming the vessel after Henry Worsley, the British explorer who died in January near the end of his attempt to become the first person to cross the Antarctic unaided.

The government-funded ship will be built at the Cammell Laird shipyard on Merseyside and will carry out a variety of research trips to both Antarctica and the Arctic.

The NERC – which was wise enough to ask that people “suggest” names, giving it future wriggle room – asked for ideas to be inspirational.

Some undoubtedly were, with its website, which kept crashing on Sunday under the weight of traffic, showing dozens of serious suggestions connected to inspiring figures such as Sir David Attenborough, or names such as Polar Dream.

But the bulk of entries were distinctly less sober. Aside from the leading contender, ideas included Its Bloody Cold Here, What Iceberg, Captain Haddock, Big Shipinnit, Science!!! and Big Metal Floaty Thingy-thing.

A slightly more personal suggestion came from one Sandeep Korotana, who modestly put forward the idea of RRS Sandeep Korotana.

When the web traffic dies down, other suggestions can be made by 16 April at http://nameourship.nerc.ac.uk.

Alison Robinson of the NERC said the organisation was thrilled at the “enthusiasm and creativity” of the naming process, while declining to offer an opinion on the merits of Boaty McBoatface.

She added: “We’ve had thousands of suggestions made on the website since we officially launched. Many of them reflect the importance of the ship’s scientific role by celebrating great British explorers and scientists. Others are more unusual but we’re pleased that people are embracing the idea in a spirit of fun.”

The final decision, she said, would be made by a panel later this year.

[oldr_n_wsr]

I think they should name it "Valdez".

[wesw]

I don t know, but boaty mc boatface kinda suits it....

[Gob]

Boaty McBoatface has become the overwhelming choice in a public vote to name a £200m polar research ship.

The name, suggested by former BBC Radio Jersey presenter James Hand, went viral, crashing the Natural Environment Research Council (Nerc) website.

Boaty McBoatface was the runaway winner with 124,109 votes. The second most popular choice, Poppy-Mai, had 34,371.

The top five suggestions were:
RRS Boaty McBoatface - 124,109
RRS Poppy-Mai - 34,371
RRS Henry Worsley - 15,231
RRS It's Bloody Cold Here - 10,679
RRS David Attenborough - 10,284

Nerc said that according to its competition rules it would have the final say on any name.

The result of the poll has sparked a mixed reaction on social media.

[MajGenl.Meade]

I'm rather fond of this one:

RRS Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf

[Econoline]

From the picture at the top of the thread it appears that the ship already has a name: the RMS Name of Vessel. Why don't they just keep that one?

[Lord Jim]

One might almost get the impression that the people who voted weren't taking this boat naming business seriously...

[Joe Guy]

Maybe they should modify it to seem less childish and name it "Shippy McShipface".

[Lord Jim]

I think they'd have to be pretty shipfaced to agree to that one...

[Scooter]

For some reason I always read it as Boaty McButtface.

[Joe Guy]

That's because you're so anal...

[RayThom]

I asked my Sheffield cousin about the status of "Boaty." She said although a final decision has not been made yet it will always be called Boaty McBoatface to the general public. She ended with, "the Ministry for Science are not happy with public opinion."

[MajGenl.Meade]

RRS Jim, lad!

[Bicycle Bill]

All ships are given an official name at christening/launching; however, over their career they can acquire one or more "nicknames", if you will.  Think for example of the 'USS Constitution' ("Old Ironsides"); the 'SS Pacific Princess' ("The Love Boat"); the 'USS Missouri' ("Mighty Mo"); or the aircraft carrier 'USS Oriskany' ("The Big O").  Even the first commercially-successful working steamship (James Fulton's 'Clermont') was known as "Fulton's Folly".

Usually a nickname is earned through action or calamity, but I know of no law or maritime practice that says a vessel cannot be given a nickname as well as its "registered" name.  So go ahead and give her a distinguished, 'official' name — something like 'RRS SEA TREK', and let the nickname of the ship be 'Boaty McWhatever'.

-"BB"-

[oldr_n_wsr]

"the Ministry for Science are not happy with public opinion."

Snobs

[Gob]

[RayThom]

Yay! And Boaty just floated and waved to his/her fans.

[Bicycle Bill]

You should have gone with the animated version, Ray.



-"BB"-

[Big RR]

Somehow when I watch that clip I think of Mr Bill's voice--Oh Nooooooooo!

[Gob]

Booooo!!!!!!

The UK's new polar research ship is to be named RRS Sir David Attenborough, after Boaty McBoatface previously topped a public vote.

The £200m vessel will be named after the world-renowned naturalist and broadcaster, Science Minister Jo Johnson confirmed.

The move, coming days before Sir David turns 90, would recognise his "legacy in British broadcasting", he said.

Sir David said he was "truly honoured" by the decision.

He added that he hoped "everyone who suggested a name will feel just as inspired to follow the ship's progress as it explores our polar regions".

"I have been privileged to explore the world's deepest oceans alongside amazing teams of researchers, and with this new polar research ship they will be able to go further and discover more than ever before."

A website inviting suggestions to name the ship had attracted huge interest, with "Boaty McBoatface" being the big favourite.