The various common names of the so-called 'school whitings' is complicated, with the original use of western and eastern school whiting to describe "S. bassensis" and "S. flindersi" affected by the naming of a third species of school whiting; "Sillago vittata". This has not affected "S. flindersi", which is still named the 'eastern school whiting' in recognition that it inhabits the east coast of Australia. The local name of 'red-spot whiting' refers to the diagonal lines of red spots present on the fish's upper side. The rarely used name of 'Bass Straight whiting' refers to oceanic strait between the Victorian and Tasmanian coastlines, where large quantities of the species are taken in trawls.