Never Ask The Internet To Name Your Boat

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Why is it a bad idea to ask the internet to name your research vessel? Technically, it's not a bad idea...if you don't mind sailing around in a ship named RRS Boaty McBoatface. :D

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

Thankfully, they have a way out from McBoatface.
 
Oh my god......why am I so giddy this morning.....as soon as I read that I was cracking up like crazy. Boaty McBoatface is hilarious. It sounds like something from Peter Griffin, from family guy. LOL
 
So... I never really got why Boats generally have all these lame "inspirational" names in the first place.

Stop being old and stuffy and have some fun.

RRS Boaty McBoatface is perfect to start off naming boats fun names.

How many people would be able to remember a funny name vs some random "inspirational" name?
 
Yeah, I like it. It's funny, memorable, and just something different! But, as we all know, I doubt it'll stick despite it being the #1 choice by far.
 
I think they should go with "RRS Boaty McBoatface", it might make people reconsider this sort of thing in the future. Ok, I don't really believe that but it would be funny. I bet it will be the "RRS Henry Worsley", after the 2nd place name. That sounds like the sort of name they'd pick for a research ship.
 
Boaty McBoatface is great. They should keep it. They asked the internet for suggestions and a humorous, but ultimately harmless, name was the popular one. They should stick to it and have some fun with the name. They're lucky it wasn't something like "Big Dick" or something more crude that ended up being the popular choice.
 
So... I never really got why Boats generally have all these lame "inspirational" names in the first place.

Stop being old and stuffy and have some fun.

RRS Boaty McBoatface is perfect to start off naming boats fun names.

How many people would be able to remember a funny name vs some random "inspirational" name?

I agree completely. The world really needs a laugh these days, there's already more than enough serious and awful news everyday.
 
Ursain Boat

Murder She Boat

My Pet Boat

Need more coffee to think of better ones. But I do like Boaty McBoatface. Heck, it'd be their most popular ship.
 
I love it!

But yea, never ask the internet to name anything unless you are willing to live with it.
 
Ursain Boat

Murder She Boat

My Pet Boat

Need more coffee to think of better ones. But I do like Boaty McBoatface. Heck, it'd be their most popular ship.

Nah, you just don't have the comedic gene. Stop :)
 
I honestly really like the Boaty McBoatface name. As they've seen so far, having a fun name like this is going to draw attention to the cause and is positive publicity. The name could be SOOO much worse.

PS: Never underestimate the power of the internet collective....

Pitbull in Alaska
Taylor Swift concert at a deaf school
Josh Wise dogecoin car
4Chan Mountain Dew Voting
Etc...
 
Boaty McBoatface is great. They should keep it. They asked the internet for suggestions and a humorous, but ultimately harmless, name was the popular one. They should stick to it and have some fun with the name. They're lucky it wasn't something like "Big Dick" or something more crude that ended up being the popular choice.

Yeah, I have a saying, "if you give the user a text box, they're going to take a dump in it" Boaty McBoatface isn't really that bad, considering. Murder She Boat is pretty good though!
 
With all the publicity this is getting, whatever it's named, people are going to call it Boaty Mcboatface.

Forever.
 
If its British, I think 'Boatington Mc Boaterbottom' would be better.
 
None of those are as hilarious as one suggestion here on [H] quite a long time ago...someone asked for boat name suggestions and, at a time when a very disturbing picture was making its rounds, one member suggested "Boatse".
 
While I enjoy Boaty McBoatface the SS Failboat would be better.
 
Looked at the page... 40K+ versus 4K+ for the #2 (serious) pick. The site provides a mockup image using the name, which is awesome:

jqNWiSui.jpg
 
I think it would be genius to go with this name, as it has captured the public's attention, its image would be circulated around the globe, name recognition would go through the roof, and as such it could use this as a platform to attract attention (and thus funds) of followers for the research missions they are on far more than it ever could have hoped for without the silly name... plus, what great fun for the kids! I could see a poster of Boaty McBoatface up in classrooms, with occasional updates of its missions, getting kids into science!
 
I think it would be genius to go with this name, as it has captured the public's attention, its image would be circulated around the globe, name recognition would go through the roof, and as such it could use this as a platform to attract attention (and thus funds) of followers for the research missions they are on far more than it ever could have hoped for without the silly name... plus, what great fun for the kids! I could see a poster of Boaty McBoatface up in classrooms, with occasional updates of its missions, getting kids into science!

Hell they could work in an educational cartoon and then sell toys with proceeds going towards whatever it is they're doing.
 
Reading some of the Entries. My fave:
"RRS I Like Big Boats&I Cannot Lie"
 
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