Ngai Tahu is eyeing up a name change in Queenstown

The southern iwi wants to add an H to what's been known as Lake Wakatipu since early European days.

The correct name for the lake - which, at 80 kilometres long, is the longest in New Zealand - is Whakatipu Waimoana.

The ODT reports Ngai Tahu elder Sir Tipene O'Regan signalled it was time for change in 2020.

Since then, a Queenstown kaumatua planned to make an application for the change to the New Zealand Geographic Board.

The iwi has now decided it will lead the application.