International Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 4 pages
of 4
Hawaiian goddess of fire
Pele is a female name in Hawaiian culture that could make a provocative choice for a modern girls. Others might think you named your daughter after the all-time great soccer player, but the simple,…
Maori
"earth"
A baby girl named Papa might cause some confusion, but the Papa (or Papatuanuku) of Polynesian mythology is the mother or earth goddess.
Aboriginal, Australian
"tree bark or leaf"
Kirrily, which rhymes with cheerily, is a name that's uniquely popular in Australia. It originated in recent decades as an elaboration of several similar names – the European Kyra or Keira, the Maori…
Maata is a feminine name with Polynesian roots, particularly found in Māori culture where it can mean 'face' or 'appearance.' In some Finnish and Estonian contexts, it may be related to the name…
Maori, a mythological sea maiden
Pania is a possible alternative to Tania, if you want to go the New Zealand rather than Russian route.
Maori surname
Winiata is a Maori version of the English surname Wynyard, which is nowadays closely linked to several prominent Maori families.
Maaka is a masculine name with Polynesian origins, particularly prominent in Māori culture where it means 'strength' or can refer to 'red ochre,' a sacred earth pigment. In the Māori language, the…
Hawaiian place name and Polynesian mythology name
While Maui was a male trickster god in Polynesian mythology, the well-known Hawaiian place name Maui can work for either gender.
Maori and Tahitian
"moon; bright"
The name of a male lunar deity in Maori mythology, Marama is nevertheless now used as a female name in New Zealand – no doubt because its warm sound lends itself to contemporary feminine trends. In…
Polynesian place name, meaning unknown
The Polynesian place name Tahiti was given to the island by its natives, although the origins of this name have been lost to history. Tahiti was once a Polynesian kingdom, but today is a part of the…
Tahitian
"black pearl"
Tahiti is famous for its beautiful pearls, which are cultivated and collected from the black lip oyster. While you might think of pearls being white, Tahitian pearls are known as 'black pearls' and…
Maori variation of Selwyn, English
"manor friend"
The Maori form of an Old English given name, notably borne by George Augustus Selwyn, the first Bishop of New Zealand. The Bishop gave his name to several places and a river in New Zealand and this…
Maori mythological name, ocean god
In Polynesian mythology Tangaroa was the god of the sea, the son of Rangi and Papa. He separated his parents' embrace, creating the earth and the sky. In Maori mythology, is the great atua of the…
Samoan, Indonesian, Latin
"stand, rise; old, ripe; yours"
Succinct and deceptively simple, Tua is a multicultural, unisex choice with a variety of meanings. It is most notably borne by NFL player, Tua Tagovailoa. From its Samoan roots, it ultimately comes…
"love"
A simple gender-neutral name.
"help, support"
A pretty name with an admirable meaning, but note the "wh" is pronounced like an English "f".
"girl"
Would be the Maori equivalent of Cora or any other name meaning maiden.
Maori, Tahitian
"man, male"
In Maori mythology Tāne (also called Tāne Mahuta) was the god of forests and birds, son of the sky god Rangi and the earth goddess Papa. Tāne was the one who pushed his powerful parents apart to…
"embellishment; spiritual messenger"
The Manaia is a mythological creature in Māori culture, a common motif in Māori art. Usually depicted as having the head of a bird, the tail of a fish and the body of a man, the Manaia is…
"reflections on the water"
New Zealand writer Ngaio (born Edith Ngaio) Marsh is the best-known bearer of this Maori nature name, properly pronounced ng (like the end of sing) -EYE-oh. It is the name of a tree indigenous to New…
