The process of changing Wanganui District to Whanganui District will likely begin next year.
Wanganui District Council agreed on Friday by 10 votes to 3 to apply to the New Zealand Geographic Board to change the spelling of the district's name, and therefore change the council's name.
The Geographic Board is the government authority in charge of New Zealand place names.
Wendy Shaw, secretary of the Geographic Board, said the board had not yet received the formal proposal from the council.
"It is unlikely that this will happen until 2015.