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New Zealand is generally an egalitarian society that values informal communication regardless of social status. Personal names are preferred and considered more important than titles. New Zealanders often make efforts to know and correctly recall someone’s name as a sign of respect. For example, they may go to some lengths to ensure they pronounce it properly by asking you to repeat your name several times until they get it right.

It is important to pronounce Māori names properly as this shows a sign of respect for the person you are talking to. Asking a Māori person how to pronounce their name is acceptable.

Naming Conventions

• New Zealand names generally follow English naming conventions. Overseas-born New Zealanders generally adapt their names to fit these conventions in formal documents.
• English naming conventions arrange names as follows: [first given name] [middle given name(s)] [FAMILY NAME]. For example, Travis Samuel WILSON (male) or Emily Claire TAYLOR (female).
• One’s first name (also known as a given name or sometimes a Christian name) is chosen at birth as the individual’s personal identifier. It always comes before the family name.
• The family name (also known as a surname or last name) is inherited from one’s parents and shared with other members of the individual’s immediate family.
• New Zealand names are traditionally patrilineal, whereby children are given their father’s family name. However, this is not an enforced custom.
• Some parents may choose to give their children a hyphenated surname that contains the family name of both the mother and father (e.g. Travis Samuel WILSON-ADAMS).
• It is traditional for women to adopt their husband’s family name at marriage. However, this practice is declining.
• Many New Zealanders also have a ‘middle name’, which is a secondary given name written between the person's first name and their family name. For example, Emily Claire TAYLOR’s middle name is ‘Claire’.
• Middle names are optional and are rarely used in daily life. However, most New Zealanders have at least one middle name.

Names

• Most European New Zealand parents choose their children’s personal names based on aesthetic appeal.
• Many of the most common names have an English/British origin or Christian meaning (e.g. Joshua, Michael, Grace).
• As of 2020, the most popular first names in New Zealand were Isla, Charlotte, Amelia, Olivia, Willow (female) and Oliver, Jack, Noah, Leo, Lucas (male).¹
• It is also common for names to be drawn from the Māori language. Some of the most popular Māori names include Aria, Mia, Kora, Amaia, Tiana (female) and Nikau, Ari, Mikaere, Manaia, Koa (male).¹
• Māori first names are often culturally significant and link people to important places, periods of time, deities as well as cherished family members and ancestors. Māori names may also be given to represent important qualities and virtues parents wish for their children to portray.
• It is common for a child’s middle name to reflect the personal name of a close family member (such as a grandparent).
• The most common New Zealand family names have a British origin, e.g. SMITH, WILLIAMS, JONES, BROWN, TAYLOR.²
• Other family names reflect the broad cultural, linguistic and geographic diversity of New Zealand families. For example, Nita KUMAR (Indian), Ashley MURPHY (Irish), Dylan WANG (Chinese).

Addressing Others

• New Zealanders generally introduce themselves and address others by the first name alone.
• People often use formal titles when meeting professionals for the first time (e.g. doctors, professors, managers). Once familiarity is established, it is usually appropriate to refer to them by their first name. For instance, if your regular family doctor is Dr. Emily TAYLOR, you may address the practitioner as simply ‘Emily’.
• In circumstances when you do use a person’s title, it should be followed by their family name (e.g. Mr. WILSON).
• Middle names are almost never used to address a person, unless quoted on formal/legal documentation.

See Greetings for more information on appropriate ways to introduce yourself to others.