The man who won the popular vote to have his name on a Sydney Harbour ferry — only to see the vessel renamed Ferry McFerryface — has hit out at the decision to rebadge the scandal-hit boat after a popular children's author.

Clean Up Australia founder Ian Kiernan was originally told his name would grace the ferry after the NSW Government ran a Name Your Ferry competition.

But the honour was withdrawn so the vessel could be called Ferry McFerryface — a name praised by some Sydneysiders as a bit of fun, but slammed by others as a joke.

The idea for Clean Up Australia Day came to Ian Kiernan when he sailed around the world and saw an ocean full of rubbish. ( Supplied: Australian of the Year )

Now Mr Kiernan has hit out at Transport Minister Andrew Constance's decision to rename the boat after Gumnut babies author and illustrator May Gibbs, saying she has "nothing to do" with the Harbour.

"I think she's a worthy Australian but I don't know what she's got to do with Sydney Harbour," Mr Kiernan said.

According to a Freedom of Information (FOI) report, Mr Kiernan received more votes than Ferry McFerryface, which is now being labelled as the minister's choice.

Mr Kiernan said he was told last year his name would be going on the ferry.

"I was greatly honoured to have been considered to have my name on it but then to turn it to something like Ferry McFerryface was a big disappointment," he said.

May Gibbs was best known for her Gumnut Babies. ( Wikimedia Commons )

"A bit disappointed, but anyway that's how it goes.

"I would have been pleased to have accepted but that's not to be."

Mr Kiernan said in November last year he was "in awe" of the other nominees, many of whom were his heroes, and he never received an explanation about the result.

The five other ferries in the fleet have been named after notable Australians Catherine Hamlin, Fred Hollows, Victor Chang, Pemulwuy and Bungaree.

The report obtained by Channel Nine revealed Ferry McFerryface was not ranked in the top six names in the vote, but Mr Constance explained that it originated from the first open call for public nominations.

In that round, where people could vote for any name, Ferry McFerryFace received 229 nominations and Mr Kiernan received 17, Mr Constance said.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian defended Mr Constance, but admitted things could have been handled better.

"All of us from time to time can look back and think we could have handled things differently or better, that goes without saying," she said.

Ms Berejiklian was asked about dozen questions on the issue at a press conference this morning, but avoided using the name McFerryFace' in any of her answers.