An open vote has been set up to name the next Royal Research Ship (RRS), with the public allowed to come up and vote for new names of the vessel.

The £200 million (€256 million) ship is due to take to the seas and explore the Arctic and Antarctic from 2019, but the current front-runner for the vessel's name is already gathering a lot of attention: RRS Boaty McBoatface.

If the name sticks, Boaty will replace the RRS James Clark Ross and RRS Ernest Shackleton in their researching purposes.

Other names in the running include RRS David Attenborough (currently running in third favourite), while other funny titles include the RRS Ice Ice Baby, and the RRS Usain Boat.

You can vote for the boat's name right here.