Maori Name Generator
Māori first names and whānau surnames
Generate Māori names from Aotearoa New Zealand: te reo names like Aroha, Tāne and Hinemoa, transliterated names such as Wiremu and Mere, and Māori surnames. Written with macrons for writers, parents and game designers.
About Maori names
Māori names come from te reo Māori, the language of the tangata whenua of Aotearoa New Zealand, and almost every one carries a plain meaning. Aroha is love, Moana is ocean, Marama is moon, Whetū is star, Kahurangi is precious or blue, and Rangimārie is peace. Many names for women begin with Hine (girl, daughter), so Hinemoa, Hinewai and Hinerangi are all built the same way, while Tāne (man), Tama (son) and Rangi (sky) appear in men's names. Others honour the atua and ancestors: Tāne, Tangaroa, Māui, Kupe and Paikea are still given today.
A second layer of names arrived with missionaries in the 1800s. Because te reo has no s, l, or consonant clusters, Biblical and English names were transliterated: William became Wiremu, John became Hōne, Mary became Mere, Peter became Pita and Elizabeth became Irihāpeti. Māori surnames often work the same way (Wiremu, Hōhepa, Rāwiri as family names) or come from an ancestor's name, an iwi, or a place. Names beginning with Te (the) or Ngā (the, plural) are common: Te Rauparaha, Te Puea, Ngāi Tahu.
Macrons matter. The bar over a vowel marks a long sound and can change meaning entirely, so Tāne is spelled that way and Māori itself takes one. This list keeps the macrons and mixes te reo names, transliterated names, famous historical figures, and full first-name-plus-surname combinations so you can see how a modern Māori name looks. The names and meanings on this page have not been checked by speakers of te reo Māori, so a macron or a meaning may be wrong. If you need a real Māori name, talk to te reo speakers, for example through an iwi's own language programme.
How to choose Maori names
- Keep the macrons: Hēmi, Rāwiri, Whetū and Māori are correct, and dropping the tohutō changes both pronunciation and meaning.
- Pronounce every vowel and give wh a soft f sound and ng the sound in singer, so Whetū is roughly feh-too and Ngaire is nye-reh.
- For a modern character, pair a te reo first name with a transliterated or English surname (Aroha Wiremu, Manaia Walker), which is what most contemporary Māori names look like.
- Names of atua such as Tāne, Tangaroa and Māui are used for people, but they carry weight; treat them the way you would treat a name like Gabriel or Thor.
- Do not attach a famous name like Te Rauparaha or Whina Cooper to an invented character; use them for reference or as real historical figures.
Frequently asked questions
What do common Māori names mean?
Aroha means love, Moana ocean, Marama moon, Whetū star, Kahurangi treasured or sky blue, Anahera angel, Manaia a guardian spirit, and Rangimārie peace. Names beginning with Hine mean girl or daughter of, as in Hinemoa.
Why do some Māori names sound like English names?
They are transliterations. When Christian names arrived in the 1800s they were reshaped to fit te reo Māori sounds: William became Wiremu, John became Hōne, Mary became Mere, Joseph became Hōhepa, and Victoria became Wikitōria. Many are now surnames as well as first names.
Can I give my baby a Māori name if I am not Māori?
It is generally acceptable, especially in New Zealand where names like Aroha, Kiri, Nikau and Ngaire are widely used, but you should learn the meaning and pronounce it correctly, keep the macron, and avoid names of specific ancestors or atua unless you understand their significance. The names and meanings on this page have not been checked by speakers of te reo Māori. If you need a real Māori name, talk to te reo speakers, for example through an iwi's own language programme.
How are Māori names pronounced?
Vowels are always pure: a as in car, e as in egg, i as in ski, o as in or, u as in flute, and macronised vowels are held longer. Wh is close to an f, ng is like the ng in singer, and r is a light tap. Stress usually falls on the first long vowel or first syllable.
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All 500 Maori names
A: 26 names
- Amiria
- Anahera
- Anahera Parata
- Ānaru
- Ani
- Aotea
- Aperahama
- Aperahama Tāmaki
- Āpirana Ngata
- Āporo
- Ārama
- Aria
- Arihia
- Ariki
- Ariki Tūhoe
- Aroha
- Aroha Te Awa
- Ārona
- Ataahua
- Ātaahua Rangi
- Atareta
- Āteria
- Awatea
- Awhina
- Āwhina
- Awhina Rangihau
E: 8 names
- Ēnoka
- Ēpiha
- Erana
- Erana Tākao
- Ērena
- Ēruera
- Ēruera Manuera
- Ēruera Tīrikātene
H: 72 names
- Hāmiora
- Hamuera
- Hana Kahu
- Hariata
- Hatupatu
- Haumia-tiketike
- Hēmi
- Hēmi Kōwhai
- Hemi Pōmare
- Hēmi Pōtiki
- Hēmi Tūkino
- Henare
- Hēnare Kōhere
- Henare Te Ua
- Hēnare Tomoana
- Hēni
- Hēni Materoa
- Hera
- Heremia
- Hine
- Hineahuone
- Hineamaru
- Hinekaha
- Hinekōrako
- Hinekura
- Hinekura Waititi
- Hinemaia
- Hinemārama
- Hinemarama Pōmare
- Hinemaru
- Hinemātioro
- Hinemihi
- Hinemoa
- Hinemoa Ngāpō
- Hinemoana
- Hinengākau
H, continued
- Hinenui-te-pō
- Hinepau
- Hinepiripiri
- Hinepūkohurangi
- Hinepūnui
- Hinerangi
- Hinerangi Kāhu
- Hinerangi Tūhoe
- Hinerau
- Hineraukatauri
- Hinerehia
- Hineteiwaiwa
- Hinetītama
- Hinetū
- Hinewai
- Hinewai Kereopa
- Hinewehi
- Hoani
- Hoera
- Hōhepa
- Hōhepa Tāmaki
- Hōhepa Te Whata
- Hōne
- Hōne Harawira
- Hōne Heke
- Hōne Kāhu
- Hōne Tūwhare
- Hōne Waititi
- Hongi Hika
- Hōri Ngata
- Hōri Tāmati
- Horomona
- Hoturoa
- Hūhana
- Hūhana Kahui
- Huia
I: 14 names
- Ihaia
- Ihaia Hōhepa
- Ihaka
- Ihaka Wharerau
- Īharaira
- Ihenga
- Ihimaera
- Ihimaera Rangihuna
- Īhipera
- Īnia
- Īnia Te Wīata
- Irihāpeti
- Irihāpeti Ramsden
- Iritana
K: 49 names
- Kaea
- Kaea Wharerau
- Kaharau
- Kahu
- Kahu Kutia
- Kahukura
- Kahungunu
- Kahurangi
- Kahurangi Kōhere
- Kahurangi Walker
- Kahutia
- Kaia
- Kaia Ngāpō
- Karaitiana
- Kararaina
- Kararaina Kīngi
- Karauria
- Kataraina
- Kataraina Kīngi
- Kauri
- Keita
- Kereama
- Kereama Ngata
- Kerei
- Kereru
- Kiri
- Kiri Te Kanawa
- Kiri Waititi
- Kiriana
- Kiriwai
- Kiwa
- Koa
- Kōhia
- Kōhine
- Kohu
- Kōpū
- Kora
- Kōrimako
- Kōtare
- Kōtuku
- Kōwhai
- Kōwhai Herewini
- Kōwhai Rāwiri
- Kōwhai Tūhoe
- Kuini
- Kupe
- Kura
- Kura Rangi
- Kurapa
M: 67 names
- Māata
- Mahina
- Mahinārangi
- Mahora
- Mahuika
- Maia
- Maioha
- Maire
- Maire Ngātai
- Makareta
- Makareta Ngata
- Makere
- Makere Kīngi
- Manaaki
- Manahi
- Manaia
- Manaia Te Whata
- Manawa
- Manawa Ngāpō
- Manawanui
- Mānuka
- Māra
- Maraea
- Maraea Parata
- Marama
- Marama Davidson
- Maramatanga
- Māreikura
- Marewa
- Marino
- Matariki
- Matariki Rangi
- Mātene
M, continued
- Matiu
- Māui
- Māui Pōmare
- Māui Rangihuna
- Meihana
- Mere
- Mere Kaipara
- Mere Whaanga
- Mereaina
- Mereana
- Merehira
- Merenia
- Merepeka
- Merepeka Raukawa-Tait
- Meretini
- Meri
- Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia
- Mihi
- Mihiata
- Mihinui
- Mihipeka
- Mikaere
- Mikaere Ngārimu
- Miriama
- Miriama Rangikaiwhiria
- Miro
- Moana
- Moana Jackson
- Moana Maniapoto
- Moerangi
- Moetū
- Moewai
- Mohi
- Mōrehu
N: 27 names
- Nēpia
- Ngāhere
- Ngāhina
- Ngāhira
- Ngahuia
- Ngahuia Ratana
- Ngāhuia Te Awa
- Ngaio
- Ngaire
- Ngaire Rangiwai
- Ngākiri
- Ngāmoana
- Ngāpera
- Ngārangi
- Ngāroma
- Ngārongo
- Ngātai
- Ngātoroirangi
- Ngāwai
- Ngāwaiata
- Ngāwini
- Nikau
- Nikora
- Niwa
- Niwareka
- Nohorua
- Nuku
O: 2 names
- Ōkena
- Ōriwa
P: 41 names
- Paikea
- Pania
- Pania Ngātai
- Paora
- Paora Tūhaere
- Paora Tūhaka
- Paraone
- Paraone Kāhui
- Parata
- Pare
- Parehuia
- Parekura
- Parekura Horomia
- Pareraukawa
- Pearata
- Pēni
- Perana
- Perenara
- Petera
- Pikihuia
- Pikitia
- Pio
- Piri
- Pirihira
- Pirihira Tāmaki
- Piripi
- Piripi Taylor
- Pita
- Pita Kereopa
- Pita Sharples
- Pōhutukawa
- Porourangi
- Pōtatau Te Wherowhero
- Pounamu
- Poutama
- Puawai
- Puhi
- Puhirangi
- Puhiwahine
- Puna
- Putiputi
R: 75 names
- Rāhera
- Rāhera Kingi
- Rāhui
- Rangatira
- Rangi
- Rangi Herewini
- Rangi Mātāmua
- Rangi Waititi
- Rangi Whakaari
- Rangiaho
- Rangiātea
- Rangikura
- Rangimārie
- Rangimārie Hēmi
- Rangimārie Kahukiwa
- Rangimoana
- Ranginui
- Ranginui Walker
- Rangipai
- Rangitakoto
- Rangituhi
- Rangitūkia
- Rāniera
- Rāniera Wharerau
- Rāpata
- Rāpata Wahawaha
- Rāpata Wiremu
- Rātā
- Rātima
- Rāwinia
- Rāwinia Waaka
- Rāwiri
- Rāwiri Paratene
- Rāwiri Puhirake
- Rāwiri Taonui
- Rāwiri Wright
- Rehua
R, continued
- Rehua Kōhere
- Rehua Ngāwati
- Rehutai
- Rereahu
- Rereata
- Reremoana
- Reweti
- Rewi
- Rewi Maniapoto
- Rewi Waititi
- Rihari
- Rīhari Pōmare
- Rikihana
- Rimu
- Rīpeka
- Ripeka Hakaraia
- Rīpeka Waititi
- Rīwai
- Rīwai Ngata
- Roimata
- Rongo
- Rongo Wiremu
- Rongomai
- Rongomaiwahine
- Rongomātāne
- Rongopai
- Rōpata
- Rōra
- Rua Kēnana
- Ruakere
- Ruatapu
- Rūaumoko
- Rūhia
- Rūhia Rangi
- Ruiha
- Ruiha Ngātai
- Ruka
- Ruka Herewini
T: 92 names
- Tā Kīngi Īhaka
- Tahupōtiki
- Tainui
- Tama
- Tamahae
- Tamahana
- Tamahou
- Tamanui
- Tamarangi
- Tamaroa
- Tamatea
- Tamatekapua
- Tamati
- Tāmati Coffey
- Tamati Rīpeka
- Tamati Waaka
- Tāmati Wāka Nene
- Tāne
- Tāne Mahuta
- Tāne Ngata
- Tāne Rangihau
- Tāne Tūkino
- Tangaroa
- Tangaroa Paul
- Taonga
- Tāwera
- Tāwhaki
- Tāwhiao
- Tāwhirimātea
- Te Ao
- Te Aomarama
- Te Aomihia
- Te Ariki
- Te Aroha
- Te Ata
- Te Ātairangikaahu
- Te Awanui
- Te Awe Awe
- Te Awhina
- Te Hau
- Te Heuheu Tūkino
- Te Kāea
- Te Kahu
- Te Kani
- Te Kooti Arikirangi
- Te Kura
T, continued
- Te Maihāroa
- Te Maire
- Te Manaaki
- Te Marama
- Te Moana
- Te Oti
- Te Paea
- Te Puawai
- Te Puea Hērangi
- Te Rā
- Te Rangihaeata
- Te Rangihīroa
- Te Rangitāke
- Te Rauparaha
- Te Rongo
- Te Rongopai
- Te Taniwha
- Te Toko
- Te Ua Haumēne
- Te Uira
- Te Wera
- Te Whetū
- Te Whiti o Rongomai
- Terēhia
- Terēhia Kahu
- Tiaki
- Tiaki Rewiti
- Timi Kara
- Tīmoti
- Tini
- Tinirau
- Tione
- Tiopira
- Tipene
- Tipene Rangi
- Titihuia
- Tītokowaru
- Toi
- Tōtara
- Tuahine
- Tūhawaiki
- Tūheitia
- Tūī
- Tūmatauenga
- Turuhira
- Tūtānekai
U: 1 name
- Uenuku