Boaty McBoatface is the perfect name for a $300m ship, says internet

The internet really wants to call a US$300-million boat Boaty McBoatface.

If you read that line without laughing, you did a whole lot better than me. Nevertheless, it’s all true.

British-based Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) recently opened up an online poll to help the organisation choose a new name for its massively expensive polar expedition vessel. Of course, this being the internet, the winner of the poll with an enormous 120 000 votes was Boaty McBoatface.

Hell, we like the name, but NERC doesn’t quite believe that it encapsulates the mission’s values.

“You won’t be surprised to know that we want something that fits the mission and captures the spirit of scientific endeavour,” science minister Jo Johnson told the Telegraph.

If you’re wondering what the other options were, well, let’s just say that the NERC isn’t exactly spoiled for choice.

Second place, with around 30 000 votes went to Poppy-Mai, which definitely shows the softer side of the web. But the comical runner up and challenger to Boaty is “RRS It’s bloody cold here.”

You just can’t make this stuff up. Or, well, not at least without the help of the internet.