Most popular Māori baby names for 2016 released
14 September 2017
Te Tari Taiwhenua The Department of Internal Affairs has released the top 20 Māori baby names for 2016 in association with Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2017.
Included for the first time are the top 20 Māori baby names for children born overseas.
The most popular Māori baby names in 2016 for girls, both in New Zealand and overseas, was Maia. For boys Nikau was most popular within New Zealand, while Kai topped the overseas list.
Each name was carefully researched by Te Taura Whiri I te reo Māori, the Māori Language Commission, to confirm it was a Māori name.
Top 20 Māori names for girls and boys are:
| Kōtiro / girls | Tama / boys | ||
| Aotearoa / New Zealand | Rāwāhi / Overseas | Aotearoa / New Zealand | Rāwāhi / Overseas |
| 1. Maia | Maia | 1. Nikau | Kai |
| 2. Ariana | Ariana | 2. Ari | Manaia |
| 3. Manaia | Hei | 3. Kauri | Ari |
| 4. Anahera | Manaia | 4. Manaia | Nikau |
| 5. Hana | Aroha | 5. Te Ariki | Tamati |
| 6. Amaia | Anahera | 6. Mikaere | Tane |
| 7. Aroha | Hana | 7. Ihaia | Ariki |
| 8. Ataahua | Kaea | 8. Rawiri | Kauri |
| 9. Tia | Noa | 9. Hemi | Tai |
| 10. Ria | Tia | 10. Tai | Tama |
| 11. Tui | Tiare | 11. Kahurangi | Hemi |
| 12. Kaea | Koa | 12. Kai | Kaea |
| 13. Kara | Makaia | 13. Nikora | Matiu |
| 14. Tiare | Moana | 14. Tangaroa | Rawiri |
| 15. Mareikura | Ahurei | 15. Wiremu | Mana |
| 16. Miru | Atawhai | 16. Anaru | Manu |
| 17. Kahurangi | Kahukura | 17. Ariki | Teina |
| 18. Marama | Kai | 18. Paora | Wiremu |
| 19. Moana | Kara | 19. Tama | Anaru |
| 20. Huia | Kataraina | 20. Tane | Hawaiki |
Ngahiwi Apanui, CEO of the Māori Language Commission says as awareness and value for te reo Māori in Aotearoa grows, more and more children are receiving Māori names.
“There are a number of reasons parents may give a child a Māori name.
“For some it may be about carrying on whānau and ancestral names and for others it may be about connecting a child with the land of its birth, Aotearoa.
“This is a positive thing and we look forward to the time when Māori names for all New Zealanders becomes commonplace,” says Ngahiwi.
Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages Jeff Montgomery agrees it is positive to see the use of Māori names continuing to grow both within New Zealand and overseas.
“For many parents the use of a Māori name for their child symbolises their identity as a New Zealander and commitment to the Māori culture,” Jeff says.
Registering a birth in New Zealand is free and has been made easier with SmartStart, the go-to online tool for expectant and new parents introduced last year.
SmartStart has recently made a number of improvements to make it even more accessible to New Zealanders.
These include becoming the home of the new and improved Birth Registration Online and the addition of Te Reo Māori headings for both SmartStart and Birth Registration Online.
“Having Te Reo headings will make processes simpler and easier for Māori to follow, giving a new sense of meaning to each heading and topic,” explains Jeff.
For more information on SmartStart and registering your new-born child, go to https://smartstart.services.govt.nz/
ends
Media contact:
Steve Corbett
Communications Manager
Kāwai ki te Iwi
Te Tari Taiwhenua
Phone 04 494 5761; mobile 027 406 3869; email: steve.corbett@dia.govt.nz
