In a true British compromise, a submersible carried on board the ship will be called “Boaty McBoatFace”. This is more appropriate since the vessel itself is a ship, not a boat, while the submersible is a boat.
Briefly? Nooo, my friend, he must change his name until such time as the new name is applied to something more appropriate, e.g. a boat.
And this is why we can’t have nice things. Noooooh, can’t have humor spoiling our veddy veddy serious name selection process for a ship that will now be utterly forgotten by history.
So, is the vessel also an Attenborough? If not, I fail to see your point, sir! (or madam!)
McBoatFace is a fine surname fit for any ship, and one that reflects upon and honors its more humble ancestors!
This is an outrage–and putting a Londoner’s name on the bow instead of one of obvious Irish descent is tantamount to a call for rebellion!
Rebellion I say!
This aaaalmost makes me like humans again
But, it has been applied to an unmanned research submarine. So, our work here is done.
I read somewhere (too lazy to look for it) that it will be called “Boaty” only - still not a serious/boring name but not the Real Thing.
eta: I read it here (in the linked BBC article)
While the polar ship itself will not be named Boaty McBoatface, one of its remotely operated sub-sea vehicles will be named Boaty in recognition of the vote.
I’d be far more interested in a web site following the science adventures Boaty McBoatface around the world.
Way to get kids and the rest of the public excited about science.
R.R.S., Stickinmy 
Maybe they’re just being informal. “Boaty” for everyday use, “Mrs McBoatface” in the ship’s log and suchlike.
The BBC? Informal? O tempora o mores!
I wish I knew David Attenborough personally, because I know what I would call him from now on.
Kinda like what NASA did when Colbert fans overwhelmingly won the vote to name a new chunk of the ISS “Colbert.” They dumped the name, but live on The Colbert Report they announced that one of the new exercise treadmills was named C.O.L.B.E.R.T. “Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill”
Steve C. played along quite happily with that.
Are you saying that the ship name lacks… gravitas? 
"SIR Boaty McBoatface ", please.
the UK government pulled a switcheroo, declaring the will of the people to be secondary to the judgment of humourless bureaucrats
DEMOCRACY UNDER ATTACK
I like the “now,” as if the British Natural Environment Research Council has failed in their critical mandate to provide fodder for future “funny history” sidebars.
The United States should immediately name an unmanned drone warship the USS Boaty McBoatface.
Hell, I have a better nominee for the name change:
Hee hee… well, post-Goldwater, that bar is so low an ant wouldn’t trip over it.
The fodder was provided for them. All they had to do was stick to the rules of the contest they had declared.
