"I'm going with the Big Island," said Hawaii resident Franklin Baptiste.

"Come on, Big Island, got to be the Big Island," said another man at the local grocery store in town.

"I think it sounds better than the Hawaiian Island. Hawaiian Island sounds like a song," said Veronica Hawkins who was waiting at a bus stop.

For years, for decades and for generations, locals and visitors have come to affectionately refer to the largest island in the Hawaiian chain as "The Big Island."

"It's been the Big Island as long as I've been here, and I've been here since 1966," said resident Hugh Clark.

"My sister-in-law is Hawaiian, and years ago when I asked her about Hawaii, not ever knowing I was going to live here, she said that there are eight islands, and I had no clue, and she named the islands, and she said Big Island too," said Todd Lavigne.

But in recent years, island kupuna, historians, cultural leaders have been pushing for, what they say, is correct over what's comfortable.

"The Big Island, The Garden Island, The Gathering Place, whatever terminology you use, everyone should know it's slang," said Big Island mayoral candidate and former Big Island Mayor Harry Kim.

"If somebody came up with Hawaii: Ha-the breath of life, Wai-the waters of life. I-the spirit of life. It's very powerful name to say. An island carries with it the breath, the waters, the spirit of life," said current Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi.

And, politicians are feeling the pressure.  Politicians KITV talked with said despite what they have gotten used to too, they're changing their ways.