British Science Minister doesn’t think ‘Boaty McBoatface’ is fitting name for £200m vessel
After “Boaty McBoatface” came out on top as the winner of an online poll that asked voters to choose the name of the National Environmental Research Council’s new £200m polar research ship, British Science Minister Jo Johnson made comments earlier this week that suggest the name might not be used after all.
On Monday 18 April, Johnson hinted that the name “Boaty McBoatface” might not make the cut, since the name ultimately has to be endorsed by ministers.
“There is a process now for us to review all of the public’s choices. Many of them were imaginative, some were more suitable than others,” Johnson told BBC Radio Five, according to Newsweek. “I think we were clear when launching the competition that we were looking for a name that would be in keeping with the mission.”
James Hand, the former BBC Radio presenter who suggested the name “Boaty McBoatface” in the first place, tweeted on 17 April: “Thanks to everyone who took #BoatyMcBoatface in the right spirit. Final say goes to @NERCscience, and there’s plenty of worthy winners."
“Boaty McBoatface” received more than 100,000 votes, four times more than RRS Poppy-Mai, named after a young girl with incurable cancer, according to The Guardian.