An institute let the internet name their £200m boat and now they regret everything

Internet rule number one: when given the chance to vote for something, people will always opt for the most ridiculous option possible.

It happened to rapper Pitbull, when 4Chan sent him to perform at a Walmart in a remote Alaskan village. It happened to Mountain Dew, when the web voted to name their new drink ‘Diabeetus’.

And it’s happened to The National Environment Research Council, who now own a £200 million Royal Research Ship named RRS Boaty McBoatface.

The NERC allowed the public to suggest a name for the vessel, which could then be voted on. Before too long, all fresh hell broke loose.

RRS Boaty McBoatface was suggested by school communications manager James Hand, and is 13,000 votes ahead of the ever-so-slightly-more-serious second place name, RRS Henry Worsley (an explorer who died while trekking the Antarctic in January.)

But Boaty’s not the only ridiculously brilliant title put forward - others include RSS It's Bloody Cold Here; RSS Pingu; RSS David Attenborough and, by far our favourite, RSS Boat.

Make your vote count here.