The controversial Ferry McFerryface was a name handpicked by NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance even after he was warned by senior bureaucrats of the risks.

A 9NEWS freedom of information investigation has revealed the competition to name a new fleet of ferries costs a whopping $100,000.

Documents reveal Ferry McFerryface was not only ineligible to be accepted under the government’s own criteria but it attracted just 182 votes.

Clean Up Australia founder Ian Kiernan was the clear winner for the ferry’s naming rights with 2025 eligible votes.

Other names on the shortlist were author May Gibbs, Sydney Opera House architect Jorn Utzon, former Governor Dame Marie Bashir and artist Ken Done.

Mr Constance chose Ferry McFerryface despite spending $100,000 to find out what name the public wanted. (9NEWS)

Late this afternoon, Mr Constance said the Ferry McFerryface name would be scrapped and the vessel would be named after beloved author Gibbs.

“We always intended this vessel would be named for the kids,” Mr Constance said.

“After a summer on the harbour, Ferry McFerryface will now be renamed after prominent Australian author May Gibbs.

“This will retain the vessel’s appeal to our youngest customers while also recognising an Australian icon with a long connection to Sydney

“2018 also marks 100 th anniversary of the first publication of her famous children’s classic Tales of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie .”

Before the competition was launched, Transport for NSW drew up a briefing for Mr Constance that proposed “mitigating the risk of satirical naming campaigns” and avoiding “the highly publicised mishaps in the naming of ships in other jurisdictions”.

Andrew Constance on board one of his ferries last year. (AAP)

They include British research vessel Boaty McBoatface and a whale being tracked by Greenpeace, Mister Splashy Pants.

The document says the competition “is aimed at mitigating as far as practical the risk of this situation arising”.

Mr Constance signed off on the plan - on the single proviso of “no fish names”.

About 12 months later he ignored the advice and went ahead with naming the vessel Ferry McFerryface.

“We got global attention and a bit of fun for the kids with selfies and grandparents,” Mr Constance said.

“We followed the panel recommendations for the first 5, but for the last one we thought let’s do something a bit different.”

Catherine Hamlin, Fred Hollows, Victor Chang, Pemulwuy and Bungaree were selected as the names of the remaining five ferries in the new fleet.

Opposition Leader Luke Foley earlier vowed to scrap the name altogether if elected.

“Andrew Constance, we know he can’t run a train system but now he can’t name a ferry,” Mr Foley said.