Move over, Boaty McBoatface. Minnesota’s fancy new snowplow, Plowy McPlowFace, is ready to hit the streets. As the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) prepares for snow in the coming months, Plowy McPlowFace the snowplow is ready for action. Check out some of the other creative names from the contest below.

Minnesota’s newest snowplow, Plowy McPlowFace

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) recently held a contest to get creative with the names of a new set of snowplows for winter. Over 122,000 people voted in the inaugural Name a Snowplow contest. Since the state is separated into eight districts, which called for eight new snowplow names.

Plowy McPlowFace happened to be the winner for the Metro District and got the most attention, coming in at 65,292 votes. Duck Duck Orange Truck won District 1 with 25,824 votes. Ope, Just Gonna Plow Right Past Ya will be moving snow in District 4. Plow Bunyan is in District 2. The Truck Formerly Known As Plow is taking care of business in District 8.

Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher said, “We thank everyone for their votes and participation in this fun contest, and through the process, becoming more aware of our snowplows, the tireless women and men who operate them, and the work necessary to keep our roads safe.”

Plowy McPlowFace is going to be busy

Winter brings ample snow to the streets of Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the snowfall in the area ranges from 36 inches to 70 inches in the “snow belt” area. Weather experts anticipate that the state will get more snow than usual.

If you happen to be in the area, Plowy McPlowFace is appearing at the Minnesota State Fair before heading to work. You can take a photo with Plowy and enjoy a corn dog at the same time. Once the time is right, fans can watch the snowplows at work. On the Minnesota Department of Transportation website, you can watch the action through the Plow Cams. These live cameras allow people to see real-time road conditions.

The history of the silly name contest

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest reference of a snowplow was from 1792. The author of The History of New-Hampshire mentioned it in a description of the weather. “When a deep snow has obstructed the roads, they are in some places opened by an instrument called a snow plough. It is made of planks, in a triangular form, with two side boards to turn the snow out on either hand.”

Interestingly enough, that means snowfall was heavy enough in the area back in 1792. While it isn’t likely people named snowplows silly names back in the 1700s, but the idea was still there.

Back in 2016, the Natural Environment Research Council asked the internet to help name a boat. While the agency hoped to have distinguished boat names, the internet quickly decided that would not happen. The people named the $287 million polar research ship R.R.S. Boaty McBoatface, according to a New York Times article. Plowy McPlowFace might be new to the state of Minnesota, but the internet never misses an opportunity to name stuff.