Maori and Polynesian Baby Names
New Zealand Maori and Polynesian Baby Names
Find a baby name with a difference or connect your new baby to her heritage by choosing one of the many beautiful Maori or Polynesian baby names.
The NZS.com New Zealand Maori and Polynesian baby name article contains a list of popular and unusual names for babies, including baby boys and girls names and their meanings in NZ.
Why choose a Maori or Polynesian baby name?
Settling on a name for your baby can be difficult. While it’s sometimes an easy decision, it can be tricky trying to find a baby name which both you and your partner like, and which you feel will serve your child well through his or her lifetime. You might also be considering traditional family names or the way a name sounds with your own surname or family name.
If you are Maori or Polynesian, choosing a name from your native (or ancestral) language is a great way to keep your culture alive if you are not using the language in everyday conversation. Even if you're a different ethnicity, don’t be afraid to stray from traditional top baby names to consider a Maori or Polynesian baby name. The bottom line? Choose a name that seems to fit your little one!
Maori baby girl names
For your little princess (or pirinitete) there are some beautiful and unusual Maori names. Choose from this list of Maori baby girl names:
Amiria – industrious, from the English Amelia
Aroha – simply meaning ‘love’
Erihapeti – meaning ‘consecrated to God’, an equivalent of Elizabeth
Hine – a lovely name meaning simply ‘girl’
Kowhai – a native tree known for its yellow flowers
Kura – translating to ‘treasure’
Makareta – Maori form of Margaret
Marika – meaning ‘quiet and careful’
Ngaio – another name taken from our native flora
Pania – a mythical maiden of the sea
Reka – for your ‘sweet’ baby girl
Whina – meaning ‘helper’
Maori baby boy names
For your little warrior (or toa) there are many choices for baby names with a difference. Get inspiration from this list of Maori baby boy names:
Amiri – evoking ‘the east wind’
Hare – meaning ‘manly’ this name is the equivalent of Charles
Hemi – a translation of James
Maaka – the Maori form of Mark comes from Mars, the God of war
Mahora – meaning ‘flat land’
Pita – bringing the sturdy qualities of stone or rock, this is the Maori form of Peter
Rawiri – meaning the beloved one, the equivalent of David
Rangi – meaning heaven or sky
Rua – meaning ‘lake’
Tane – Maori God of the forest
Tangaroa – Maori God of the sea
Tipene – the Maori form of Stephen
Polynesian baby girl names
A name for your baby girl can be unusual or exotic when you choose from the many beautiful Polynesian baby names:
Ema – for your precious one, meaning ‘beloved’
Hika – simply meaning ‘daughter’
Hine – a popular choice meaning ‘maiden’
Hoku – is your daughter a little ‘star’?
Ilisapesi – meaning ‘blessed one’
Jaimia – meaning ‘I love’
Kaula – meaning ‘the prophet’
Kiri – inspired by nature, meaning the bark of a tree
Kohia – the passionflower
Kura – meaning ‘red’
Lani – meaning the sky or heavens
Mahina – the moon
Polynesian baby boy names
Choose a baby name with a difference with a Polynesian boys name:
Afi – for your fiery bub, meaning ‘fire’
Ahohako – meaning ‘storm’
Ahomana – meaning ‘thunder’
Alika – meaning the ‘defender of humankind’
Alipate – for your vibrant wee one, meaning ‘bright’
Arana – for your beautiful boy, meaning ‘handsome’
Ariki – meaning ‘chief’
Ihorangi – meaning ‘rain’
Kahil – meaning ‘young’
Keoni – meaning ‘the righteous one’
Kereteki – a figure from Polynesian myth
Kupe – a famous Polynesian explorer
Looking for more information? Find Maori and Polynesian baby names in the NZS.com directory.
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Family images from Flickr: Baby Boots, Kids Classroom and Hands.
