What name is right for your baby?
The litmus test of a good baby name is whether you can answer these two questions with a YES:
1) Do you feel comfortable and pleased with your choice?
2) Do you believe it is a good choice for your child's lifetime?
Naming your baby early, before birth, is recommended as a way of helping to bond with baby and for baby to be accepted as part of your family.
If you do not know until after the birth if baby is a girl or boy - then have two names selected and call baby by both alternate names until baby is born.
Things not to forget about when choosing a name for your baby
While making your choice, consider the following:
- Can the name be altered or shortened to form a nasty or hurtful word? Think about name calling and bullying for when your child is school-aged.
- Can the name be easily pronounced and recognised in the community and country you live in?
- Will the name conjure up negative feelings every time you say it? Avoid the names of people you don't like, even if you like the name. And don't name baby with the same name as a family member or friend who may be at risk of falling out with you sometime. Why? Well children pick up on their parents emotions and will notice that the name has negative associations for you.
The 10 Most Popular Girls' Names based on Births Registered by Year in NZ
| 2000 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| 1. | Jessica | Sophie | Sophie | Ruby | Olivia | Charlotte | Charlotte | Olivia | Olivia | Charlotte | Charlotte | Amelia | Isla | |
| 2. | Olivia | Ruby | Olivia | Olivia | Sophie | Emily | Olivia | Charlotte | Charlotte | Harper | Isla | Charlotte | Charlotte | |
| 3. | Hannah | Olivia | Ruby | Sophie | Emily | Ruby | Isla | Harper | Isla | Isla | Olivia | Isla | Amelia | |
| 4. | Georgia | Isabella | Charlotte | Isabella | Charlotte | Sophie | Emily | Sophie | Harper | Olivia | Amelia | Olivia | Olivia | |
| 5. | Grace | Ella | Isabella | Charlotte | Ruby | Olivia | Sophie | Emily | Ella | Ava | Harper | Ruby | Willow | |
| 6. | Sophie | Emily | Lily | Grace | Isabella | Isla | Amelia | Ella | Amelia | Amelia | Ella | Sophie | Harper | |
| 7. | Emma | Charlotte | Ella | Ella | Ella | Amelia | Ella | Isla | Emily | Mia | Isabella | Harper | Ava | |
| 8. | Emily | Lily | Chloe | Lily | Amelia | Ava | Harper | Mia | Mia | Mila | Emily | Mila | Lily | |
| 9. | Sarah | Emma | Emily | Emily | Sophia | Isabella | Sophia | Amelia | Sophie | Sophie | Mia | Willow | Sophie | |
| 10. | Samantha | Amelia | Emma | Amelia | Ava | Ella | Ruby | Isabella | Ava | Emily | Ava | Ava | Ella |
The 10 Most Popular Boys' Names based on Births Registered by Year in NZ
| 2000 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| 1. | Joshua | Liam | Liam | Jack | Oliver | Oliver | Oliver | Oliver | Oliver | Oliver | Oliver | Oliver | |
| 2. | Jack | James | Joshua | Oliver | Jack | Jack | Jack | Jack | Jack | Jack | Noah | Jack | |
| 3. | Samuel | Oliver | Oliver | William | James | James | William | William | Noah | Noah | Leo | Noah | |
| 4. | James | Jack | Lucas | Liam | William | Mason | James | Mason | William | Leo | Jack | Leo | |
| 5. | Matthew | William | William | Mason | Mason | Liam | Benjamin | James | Hunter | Hunter | Lucas | Lucas | |
| 6. | Liam | Joshua | Noah | Samuel | Liam | William | Mason | Hunter | James | George | George | George | |
| 7. | Daniel | Benjamin | Samuel | Jacob | Samuel | Noah | Hunter | Noah | George | William | William | Charlie | |
| 8. | Thomas | Jacob | James | Lucas | Lucas | Lucas | Charlie | Lucas | Mason | Lucas | James | Thomas | |
| 9. | Jacob | Samuel | Benjamin | Ethan | Noah | Benjamin | Liam | Leo | Lucas | James | Thomas | William | |
| 10. | Benjamin | Lucas | Jack | Noah | Thomas | Jacob | Jacob | Max | Arlo | Mason | Charlie | Hunter |
Girl Maori Names, Popular Names, and Unique
|
Maori girls’ names |
Popular girls’ names |
Unique girls’ names |
|
Akumatua |
Alex |
Belinda |
|
Amiria |
Anna |
Bridie |
|
Anahera |
Ashley |
Carla |
|
Ani |
Brianna |
Crystal |
|
Aperira |
Bella |
Darlene |
|
Aroha |
Brittany |
Dulcie |
|
Atamarie |
Brooke |
Ethne |
|
Emere |
Caitlin |
Eloise |
|
Eriki |
Courtney |
Evelyn |
|
Erina |
Carly |
Felicity |
|
Heeni |
Daniella |
Freya |
|
Hine |
Devon |
Genevieve |
|
Huhana |
Emily/Emma |
Giselle |
|
Ihanga |
Evie/Eve |
Gloria |
|
Iria |
Ella |
Harmony |
|
Irihapeti |
Francesca |
Heidi |
|
Kiri |
Gabrielle |
Hope |
|
Kura |
Georgia |
Hermoine |
|
Lani |
Grace |
Ila |
|
Maa Rei |
Hannah |
Ingrid |
|
Mahuika |
Holly |
Iris |
|
Makareta |
Isabel |
Janna |
|
Makuku |
Imogen |
Juliet |
|
Mamae |
Jamie |
Lilia |
|
Marama |
Jenna |
Lola |
|
Mihirangi |
Jasmine |
Maisie |
|
Mirama |
Julia |
Mabel |
|
Moana |
Jessica |
Monica |
|
Manaia |
Kaitlin |
Nadine |
|
Neina |
Kelly |
Neva |
|
Neni |
Kate/Katie |
Nyssa |
|
Newea |
Laura |
Opal |
|
Ngaio |
Lauren |
Oralia |
|
Nga Mimi |
Lily |
Ocean |
|
Okitu |
Lisa |
Princess |
|
Marika |
Maddie |
Pandora |
|
Mere |
Meg |
Pearl |
|
Omaka |
Molly |
Quinta |
|
Pania |
Natalie |
Querida |
|
Pouriwa |
Nicole |
Rhoda |
|
Puhi |
Natasha |
Rosina |
|
Ramarie |
Olivia |
Ruby |
|
Rangi |
Paige |
Serenity |
|
Rea |
Penelope/Penny |
Stella |
|
Reka |
Phoebe |
Samara |
|
Rere |
Rachel |
Scarlett |
|
Riana |
Rebecca |
Tabitha |
|
Roha |
Rhiannon |
Tallulah |
|
Ruihi |
Rose/Rosie |
Thea |
|
Raumati |
Samantha |
Talia |
|
Rangimarie |
Sophie |
Varina |
|
Te Kahurangi |
Tamara |
Valda |
|
Te Pura |
Tania |
Valisa |
|
Tui |
Taylor |
Willow |
|
Urangi |
Tiana |
Xylia |
|
Uru Manau |
Victoria |
Yvonne |
|
Waauru |
Yasmine |
Zenia |
|
Whina |
Zoe |
Zaira |
NZ Maori Names, Popular Names, and Unique Baby Boy Names
|
Maori boys’ names |
Popular boys’ names |
Unique boys’ names |
|
Apera |
Andrew |
Addison |
|
Arakanara |
Aden |
Alfred |
|
Arapeta |
Blake |
Barnaby |
|
Arama |
Brian |
Barret |
|
Ariki |
Ben |
Brannon |
|
Atama |
Callum |
Carson |
|
Atua |
Caleb |
Clark |
|
Ekara |
Daniel |
Davis |
|
Hohepa |
David |
Drew |
|
Erorangi |
Dylan |
Dugald |
|
Eru |
Dominic |
Dwight |
|
Eruera |
Ethan |
Edmund |
|
Hakara |
Eric |
Eldwin |
|
Hamonga |
Evan |
Ewart |
|
Hangakore |
Finn |
Forbes |
|
Hani |
Freddie |
Fyfe |
|
Hanu |
Gus |
Gilbert |
|
Hemi |
Hamish |
Hadley |
|
Hirini |
Harry |
Harold |
|
Huatare |
Henry |
Heath |
|
Ianga |
Isaac |
Hugh |
|
Ikei |
Ian |
Ivan |
|
Kiki |
Jacob |
Jamel |
|
Kingi |
Jayden |
Jed |
|
Kiri |
Joshua |
Jonas |
|
Koro |
James |
Julias |
|
Mahora |
Jack |
Keane |
|
Maipi |
Jason |
Keeley |
|
Mairo |
Keegan |
Kirwin |
|
Maka |
Lachlan |
Lawrence |
|
Manu |
Liam |
Lawton |
|
Matewa |
Lucas |
Leighton |
|
Mirama |
Luke |
Leonard |
|
Mokihi |
Levi |
Lloyd |
|
Morehu |
Michael |
Malcolm |
|
Natana |
Mason |
Marsden |
|
Niwa |
Matthew |
Mathias |
|
Nikau |
Max |
Merrick |
|
Ngakau |
Noah |
Morris |
|
Okiara |
Nathan |
Ned |
|
Otikoro |
Nicholas |
Noel |
|
Paipau |
Oliver |
Orson |
|
Paiwai |
Parker |
Pearce |
|
Pakanga |
Patrick |
Preston |
|
Pita |
Paul |
Quigley |
|
Rana |
Reece |
Quinn |
|
Rangi |
Regan |
Randal |
|
Raru |
Richard |
Reg |
|
Rawiri |
Robert |
Renny |
|
Rongo |
Ryan |
Roderick |
|
Ruru |
Samuel |
Roydon |
|
Taaura |
Stuart |
Saul |
|
Tahiwai |
Stephen |
Sherwin |
|
Taipo |
Thomas |
Sinclair |
|
Tama |
Tim |
Sterling |
|
Tamati |
Toby |
Terence |
|
Tane |
Troy |
Thaddeus |
|
Te Koha (the gift) |
Tyler |
Thornley |
|
Te Wakaiti |
Vince |
Tristram |
|
Tangaroa |
Wayne |
Venn |
|
Tawera |
Warren |
Warwick |
|
Tipene |
William |
Webster |
|
Tua |
Xavier |
Willard |
|
Uamutu |
Zach |
Wyatt |
|
Wiremu |
Zane |
Xylon |
|
Witi |
Zeke |
Yates |