11 Māori Names with its Unique Meaning

March 1, 2022June 29, 2023 Mamta Sharma

Every language displays its simplicity and authenticity. Just like Te Reo Māori that has some of the most beautiful words and equally gorgeous meanings behind them. Here you will find 11 Māori Names with their Unique Meaning. This indigenous New Zealand language has provided us a lot and hence below are some of the words and their meaning behind them of the Te Re Maori:

11 Māori Names with their Unique Meaning

1. Aroha

The word Aroha implies ‘love, empathy, and compassion just like one should be! It is a girl’s name and the way to pronounce it is by stressing enough on the r’s, pronounce: Aroha as ah-roh-huh. This is one of the 11 Māori Names with its Unique Meaning.

This beautiful Maori name meaning love is more wearable than the English word and softer Venus or Aphrodite. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern named her daughter Neve Te Aroha.

2. Ataahua

The word Ataahua implies ‘beautiful’ which is also a girl’s name. Name Ataahua is of Maori origin and is a Girl name. People with name Ataahua are usuallyby religion.

3. Whetū

You know the girl is going to be one when even her name implies Whetu meaning ‘star’. Sometimes it also means celestial bodies like comets. Pronunciation is as follows: wh’ in Whetu with a soft ‘f’ sound. I

Person with this name need to start looking out for yourself more. They need to find out what drives them. The sky is the only limit when it comes to goals. Competing with people won’t bring them much but, compete with themselves will make them better than they were yesterday. It seems like cruel, evil, and trickery people can’t hang around them for too long. They appreciate freedom and like to hang around open-minded people without prejudgments about others.

4. Kahurangi

It might be ambiguous to understand someone’s gender based on this particular name as it might be used for both boys and girls. Kahurangi has multiple meanings such as ‘blue’, ‘prized’, or ‘precious’.

Kahurangi is a name of person who is kind and respectful, aspiring to utmost refinement. He is someone who everyone loves to be around and will always be willing to sit and chat if he has the free time. He is a very good listener and he hones a very svelte and lithe physique (like spider-man). A great lover of music and dance, he can melt the hearts of anyone who hears the sound of his voice, or sees his graceful body in full flight.

5. Moana

Another girl’s name that you might be familiar with is Moana that means ‘ocean’ or sea. It is also a very renowned ani1mated Disney movie. The pronunciation goes like moh-ah-nah.

The name Moana is of Pacific Islander origin, and is used in more than one countries and different languages of the world, especially English speaking countries, Hawaiian speaking countries among others.

6. Ngaio

This name Ngaio means someone who is ‘clever and ‘professional’, you might have heard it before somewhere if you listen to too much news and crime. While pronouncing it think of the New Zealand writer Dame Ngaio Marsh wherein the name Ngaio the letter ‘g’ is silent and the word Ngaio is pronounced as nai-oh.

People with this name are the innovator and researcher always focused on finding creative ways to solve things and improve the company’s progress. Being unconstrained will help them grow spiritually. These people are known for your lively spirit, eternal patience and lack of belief when it comes to love. Unrestricted lifestyle is their mark. They are born to be a businessman, politician, manage their own business or some other position that requires leadership, warrior spirit, taking risks, and daring themselves to do more.

7. Tangaroa

A boy’s name in general, Tangaroa means the god of sea and fish. It is pronounced as than-gah-roh-uh.

According to Māori creation traditions the god of the sea and progenitor of fish is Tangaroa, the son of Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatūānuku (the earth mother). Tangaroa’s son Punga was the father of Ikatere and Tūtewehiwehi. Ikatere went to the sea, where he and his children became fish. Tūtewehiwehi journeyed inland, and he and his offspring became reptiles.

In these traditions Tūmatauenga, the god of war, fought with Tangaroa. Their enmity explains why humans, the descendants of Tūmatauenga, go fishing: they are continuing the war against Tangaroa’s progeny, the fish.

8. Rongo

Another word with different meanings like ‘Saturn’ and ‘peace after war’, Rongo is a boy’s name and is pronounced as ron-go. Rongo is a masculine Maori name stemming from both the name of a god and also the Maori word for peace, “rangimarie”, which itself is occasionally used as a feminine name. Rongo was the name of the Maori god of cultivated food and of peace. In Maori culture the two ideas are closely linked – food can only be cultivated and plentiful when communities are at peace and working together. If Ringo, Rango and Rocco can get a look in, why not Rongo?

9. Marama

Another girl’s name, Marama implies the ‘moon’, as well as ‘brightness’ or ‘clearness’. It is pronounced as mah-ruh-muh. In Maori, the name Marama is most often used as the name of a Girl/Female. And in Maori, the Girl/Female name Marama means Light of the world.

10. Tāne

Meaning ‘man’, the name Tane is given to the Maori and the Polynesian god of the forest. It is pronounced as taah-neh. The name of the powerful Polynesian sky god who set the sun and moon in place and studded the heavens with stars: a majestic legacy for a simple yet unusual name.

11. Tāwhiri

A very inviting name, Tawhiri is a call of welcome in the Maori mythology which also means that in the mythology Tawhiri-matea is the god of rain, hail, snow, winds, clouds, and storm. It is a boy’s name and is pronounced as taah-fee-ree.