SOUTH Australia needs a new name and the public should choose it, the state's peak business group says.

The State Government has committed to rebranding our international image, but Business SA chief executive Peter Vaughan wants to take the make-over a step further and rename the state in a public contest.

"Instead of mucking around with branding, if we're going to be bold and rethink our brand how about thinking of a new name for South Australia," he said.

However, Mr Vaughan stopped short of giving his suggestion for a new name, instead saying authorities should tap into the creativity of the public.

During a recent trade mission to London, Premier Jay Weatherill revealed he has asked the Economic Development Board to come up with a new brand to market South Australia to the world.

However, the brief does not include renaming the state itself.

"It's not necessary for us to rename the state to find a new brand for South Australia," he said.

Mr Vaughan disagreed, saying that trying to market the state under its current name was not making an impact; like "trying to write with white ink in snow".

"The main fact (is) the words South Australia cause a problem," he said.

"I've been with two Premiers on three overseas trips and whenever we go somewhere that's not familiar with Australia the words South Australia are impossible to understand.

"(It) means to everybody from overseas the whole of the south of Australia. And the initials SA mean South Africa to most other people in the world."

Mr Vaughan is not the first to suggest a name change for the state.

In 1999, advertising guru John Singleton suggested it be renamed "Bradman" after legendary local cricketer Sir Donald Bradman.

"Honestly, look at the name South Australia - it's pretty boring isn't it?" he said at the time, but conceded the chance of it changing was "about one in a million".

SA Economic Development Board chairman Raymond Spencer recently told The Advertiser he would support a debate over the state's name.

"Even if the name of the state stays the same, or if it got changed to Adelaide or something else, the very process itself would really raise the profile," he said.