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It is an old debate, but the campaign for change has gathered momentum recently.
Otago Cricket Association chairman Russell Mawhinney emailed the Otago Daily Times last week to advise the issue would be discussed at a board meeting tonight.
"It’s on our radar, but we won’t be making any snap decisions" Mawhinney wrote.
"There will need to be a lot of consultation with stakeholders throughout the whole region."
Otago great Warren Lees has more skin in the game than most.
He captained the Otago men during their successful run in the 1980s.
He also coached the Sparks for five seasons, was made a life member of the Otago Cricket Association in 2007, and was the chief executive of the association during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Lees remains a fervent supporter of the Otago Volts and Otago Sparks names.
He bleeds blue and lemon.
"I probably haven't recovered from the time they got rid of the colour of the blue and gold. The gold used to be a very lemony colour," he said.
So that is a no to a name change, then?
"I don't see the point of it. I think one of the problems we've got in sport in general is that the Otago name in sport has been watered down.
"I still read the Otago women's golf scores on a Monday morning in the paper if I think there's been a provincial game on. And I don't even know anyone on the team.
"If Otago is in the headline, I'll probably read that story and it might be curling, pool, I don't know. It could be anything.
"You don't just cling on to tradition for the sake of it. But it's worth holding on to some of those things that give you a bit of a kick."
Lees’ former Otago team-mate, Richard Hoskin, is open to a name change, but only if there is a solid plan behind it.
Hoskin was part of a strong Southland contingent that bolstered the Otago lineup in the 1980s. He missed the odd Otago game to play for Southland in the Hawke Cup.
He is a very proud Southlander.
"Back in my day there was a lot of talk around changing the name to Southern Districts" he said.
"And it was a very narrow view from Southland that it should be called Southern Districts because we had so many players and contributed to success.
"That's not necessarily the right reason for having a name change, in my opinion, and that's based more on history and being able to better understand the traditions and the history and the background of Otago cricket.
"The point I really want to make quite strongly is that if the name was to change, and I'm not saying it shouldn't, but if it ever did, there needs to be a strategy, a plan behind that name other than the name change.
"It needs to be something that will strengthen district cricket. It goes beyond the name change.
"That might be creating, say, in Queenstown or Alexandra, a strong coaching and nursery base for country cricketers outside of Dunedin."
While Hoskin is more of a maybe, former Otago left-armer Bradley Scott is in the yes camp, albeit with conditions.
"I'm open to it," Scott said.
"But personally, I'd like to see Otago keep their name for the first-class team.
"I guess the other thing is there are a lot of stakeholders in Otago cricket — sponsors, fans, junior cricketers, girls' and women’s cricket and four minor associations all with different views.
"Do we need a referendum?"
