Why is it called Campy McCampface?
Every vehicle deserves a name. Our campervan is called Campy McCampface, and yes — it is a slightly silly name. But that is also part of the point. We wanted a name that did not feel too polished, too serious or too perfect. A name that said something about how we hope the van feels: easy to like, easy to take on a trip, and not especially formal.
It started, as many people will probably guess, with Boaty McBoatface
In 2016, people in the UK were invited to suggest a name for a new polar research ship. The internet did what the internet tends to do, and the suggestion that received the most votes was Boaty McBoatface. The ship ended up getting a different name — RRS Sir David Attenborough — but the Boaty name lived on and was used for an autonomous underwater vehicle.
There was something about that whole story that we liked. Not just because the name was funny, but because it was a reminder that not everything has to be so serious all the time.
RRS Sir David Attenborough – the ship that was nearly named Boaty McBoatface
Photo: The wub / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
The autonomous underwater vehicle Boaty McBoatface, operated by the National Oceanography Centre
Photo: Tim Sheerman-Chase / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0
When it was time to name the van, it was not actually that difficult
Once the campervan was finished, it obviously needed a name. And the more we thought about it, the more Campy McCampface just felt right.
Not because we were trying to be clever, but because it genuinely fit.
This is not a van built to impress from a distance. It is built to be used. To be driven into the mountains, down to the fjords, or to a random roadside stop with a nice view. For morning coffee with the sliding door open, slightly unplanned detours, and nights where the most important thing is that it is warm, quiet and pretty nice exactly where you are.
We wanted the name to have a bit of humor in it
There are plenty of campervans and motorhomes with names that sound very polished and carefully curated. That can be nice too, but we wanted something that felt closer, warmer and a little less pretentious.
Campy McCampface does not sound like a vehicle that takes itself too seriously. We like that. A campervan holiday is often at its best when it does not feel overly staged. When the trip can be a little freer, a little simpler and a little less perfect.
The name fits the kind of travel we like best.
A name makes the van feel a bit more like its own thing
This may sound a little odd, but a name changes the way people relate to a vehicle. It is easier to say "we took Campy to Lofoten" than "we took the campervan to Lofoten." It feels more personal, a little warmer, and maybe also a little easier to remember.
That is really what we hope people take away from a trip as well: not just that they rented a vehicle, but that they had a good experience with something that felt simple, friendly and full of personality.
So why is it called Campy McCampface?
Because we liked the reference. Because the name is funny. And because it fits better than it probably should.
It says something about the van, but also something about how we think about travelling by campervan: it does not have to be overly polished. It does not have to be overly serious. It is enough that it feels good to leave, good to be on the road, and good to arrive.
And if you get to do that in a van called Campy McCampface, that is really just an added bonus.