lˈɔŋstændɪŋ dˌɪsɐɡɹˈiːmənt ɐbˌaʊt hˌaʊ tə spˈɛl ðə nˈeɪm ʌvðə lˈeɪk lˈɛd lˈoʊkəlz ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd nˈaɪntiːn tə ɹᵻkwˈɛst ðætðə stˈeɪt əfˈɪʃəli dˈɛzɪɡnˌeɪt ɪɾ æz "wˈɪkwəz" wɪðˌaʊt ɐ kˈeɪ. ðə ɹᵻkwˈɛstᵻd spˈɛlɪŋ wʌz ɐdˈɑːptᵻd baɪ ðə jˈuː.ˈɛs. bˈoːɹd ˌɔn dʒˌɪəɡɹˈæfɪk nˈeɪmz ɪn noʊvˈɛmbɚ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd nˈaɪntiːn.
Longstanding disagreement about how to spell the name of the lake led locals in 2019 to request that the state officially designate it as "Wicwas" without a K. The requested spelling was adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names in November 2019.