Most popular baby names of 2021 revealed

4:56 pm on 10 January 2022

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has released the most popular baby names of 2021, with Charlotte and Oliver coming out on top.

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Photo: Belinda Coles Photography

In 2021, about 56,000 births were registered in Aotearoa, with a total of 16,790 different first names.

Oliver has been the top name for boys since 2013, with Charlotte for girls coming second for the past two years.

The data is collected from Smart Start, an online tool for new parents to register their baby.

Manaia is the most evenly-split gender-neutral name, and Quinn is sitting just below the top of the list.

At the top of the lists for Māori baby names, based on criteria from the Te Taura Whiri Māori Language Commission, are Mia for girls and Nikau for boys.

Isla and Amelia were named the second and third most popular girls' names for 2021, having fought Charlotte for the top spot for the last three years.

Meanwhile, the same trend was mirrored in the list of boys' names, with Noah and Jack coming in second and third after joining Oliver in the top three for the previous four years.

Most popular boys' names for 2021:

  • 1. Oliver
  • 2. Noah
  • 3. Jack
  • 4. Leo
  • 5. George
  • 6. Charlie
  • 7. Lucas
  • 8. Theodore
  • 9. William
  • 10. Luca

Most popular girls' names for 2021:

  • 1. Charlotte
  • 2. Isla
  • 3. Amelia
  • 4. Olivia
  • 5. Ava
  • 6. Willow
  • 7. Lily
  • 8. Isabella
  • 9. Mila
  • 10. Ella

Most popular Māori boys' names for 2021

  • 1. Nikau
  • 2. Ari
  • 3. Niko
  • 4. Koa
  • 5. Mateo
  • 6. Keanu
  • 7. Mikaere
  • 8. Manaia
  • 9. Kairo
  • 10. Kiwa

Most popular Māori girls' names for 2021

  • 1. Mia
  • 2. Aria
  • 3. Maia
  • 4. Aurora
  • 5. Amaia
  • 6. Kiara
  • 7. Kaia
  • 8. Amara
  • 9. Kora
  • 10. Maria