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Noah and Isla were the most popular names for baby boys and girls born in New Zealand in 2025.
Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden, says the names continued to dominate Kiwi birth registrations last year.
Noah held strong as parents’ favourite for the third year running, shared by 244 baby boys.
For girls, Isla reigned supreme with 179 registrations, cementing its spot in the top three since 2016.
Close behind was Luca, chosen by 236 parents in 2025, and Charlotte was the second most popular girls name, given to 178 newborns.
“With over 58,000 births registered this year [2025] and 19,457 unique first names, it’s clear that while parents love individuality, established names like Noah and Isla continue to dominate,” says van Veldon.
“These trends give us fascinating snapshots of Kiwi culture and how enduring favourites shape the names we choose for the next generation.”
Looking back over the decades, she says it’s clear some names have remained consistently popular.
Olivia, for example, first entered the top 10 in 1994 and has held its place ever since, with Jack following in 1998 and continuing to feature in the top 10 every year.
“It’s always fun to see how the names of our political leaders feature among newborns too,” says van Veldon.
“Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour’s name proved more popular, appearing 46 times. And my own name, Brooke, was given to 15 baby girls in 2025.
“While it’s interesting to see which names are trending, the most important step for parents is making sure their baby’s name is officially registered, securing their legal identity and allowing them to access their rights to services as they grow up.”
The Department of Internal Affairs recommends registering babies within the first two months of birth, and SmartStart makes the process simple, easy, and free.
Visit SmartStart to make it official and explore naming trends dating back to 1954 at https://smartstart.services.govt.nz/news/baby-names.
Names are reported as they appear on official birth registrations in New Zealand.
