Businesses and even a festival have incorporated crow into their titles as a nod of recognition to the city. But, due to the hard work and determination of one Wiradjuri elder, the real definition has emerged.

Uncle Stan Grant said Wagga means dance in Wiradjuri language and Wagga Wagga means a place of many dances and celebrations.

Uncle Stan said that as a child, he always knew what the word meant.

"It was in 1950 when I was at school and the principal said 'Wagga means the place of many crows'," he said.

"I raised my hand and told him that is not what it meant. He said 'it's what this book says, so I am going to stick with it'."

Later, Uncle Stan shared with his family what happened and he was told never to do it again for fear of retribution.

"I could have gotten into trouble for knowing it, and they could have gotten into trouble for teaching it," he said. "I have agonised over it for many, many years."

Uncle Stan said having the truth out has taken a load off his mind.

"I am pushing 80, and I wanted to see it happen before I go," he said.

Uncle Stan said he woke up in Wagga on Monday, after arriving for the council meeting, to see a crow eyeing him through the window.

"It was as if he was saying 'why are you trying to get rid of us'," he joked.

"I hope they don't get rid of the crow completely.

"I don't think it will change overnight either. I just hope we get people to accept the true meaning of dance and celebration."

Uncle Stan said his people have known for a long time the true meaning and he thanks Wagga City Council for accepting the facts.

"It will be good for tourism," he said. "It's better than being the place of many crows."

It's unclear where the incorrect definition originally stemmed from, but the Wiradjuri word for crow is Waagan.

Aunty Isabel Reid said it was great for the truth to come out, adding she has known the meaning herself for a long time.

"I think we should keep the crows too," she said. "The way the crows walk, it's almost like they are going to have a dance."

Aunty Cheryl Penrith said the recognition of the definition had timed perfectly with the 2019 NAIDOC Theme of Voice, Treaty and Truth.

"It makes us feel proud that our voices have been heard and the truth has come out," she said.

"Uncle Stan, who is the leader of the revival of the Wiradjuri language, gave one of the best speeches on Monday. He was just talking to people from the heart."

Aunty Cheryl said with this year's mardi gras and the upcoming corroboree, it's bringing it all together.

"We live in a great city, and we need to embrace it," she said. "The association with crows is a part of our history too."

Cristy Houghton, the creative director at Embarketing, welcomed the news of the correct definition, adding it gives Wagga a point of difference.

"I also think businesses and organisations can leverage it to be creative and do some really interesting things with their marketing in the future," she said.

"Regional events are the lifeblood of regional tourism and I think it is a fantastic opportunity to do something around dance that reestablishes what Wagga stands for.

"It can be something that this region can be renowned for."

Ms Houghton has worked in marketing for multiple festivals and she said it's about having the point of difference to attract visitors.

"Crow is quite limiting whereas dance could be utilised by a lot more industries and dance can lend itself to tourism quite well," she said. "It's just about having people embrace that."

Ms Houghton was one of the brains behind the campaign for the city's first-ever mardi gras.

An event, she said, would no doubt be incorporating the meaning behind Wagga in the future.