THE State Government has launched a new naming competition for the WA Museum’s popular blue whale skeleton, but there’s a warning about one particular name.

Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman, who launched the naming competition on Thursday, said the panel tasked with picking a name for the skeleton, which will hang in the New Museum when it opens in 2020, will not consider the name “Whaley McWhaleface”.

The popular trend, which started in the UK for the naming of a boat, has permeated throughout other naming competitions, including one around the recent Mandurah Traffic Bridge, where one option was Bridgey McBridgeface.

Mr Templeman said West Australians could offer names including traditional Aboriginal words or other Australian names.

Options on the website so far include “Brian, but pronounced Brine”; and the Big Blue.

Submissions, which can be made on the WA Museum website, close on September 5.