“What’s in a name?”, wrote Shakespeare nearly 430 years ago - and here we are still trying to get to the bottom of it. 

Choosing a name for your child is arguably one of the most stressful and painful deliberations you can make while eagerly awaiting the arrival of your bundle of joy. 

A seemingly impossible task, choosing an old-fashioned name might sign your kid up for a job in accountancy, a home in the suburbs and a life filled with an assortment of brown ties and vanilla-flavoured icecream, while a “quirky” name could see your child bullied, branded as “not like the others” and covered in various piercings and tattoos by the time they are 16. 

You really can’t win. 

And in a shocking turn of events, research by Business Insider has determined that people’s names can actually affect their success and spending habits, as well as determine whether they are more likely to get suspended from school or not. 

What’s in a name, you ask? Your child’s future, it seems. 

Choosing a name for your child is arguably one of the most stressful and painful deliberations you can make while eagerly awaiting the arrival of your bundle of joy. Photo / Getty Images 

With this in mind, Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs has announced the release of the annual list of the most popular baby names in New Zealand for 2023 and the monikers Kiwis are giving their kids to succeed and thrive. 

Topping the charts for 2023 and capturing the hearts of parents across Aotearoa, Noah and Charlotte emerged as the most popular choices. 

Close behind were Oliver, Luca, Amelia and Isla, as well as Jack, Leo, Theodore, Olivia, Harper and Willow. 

As in 2022, the top Māori names will be released around the time of Matariki. 

New Zealand’s Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Russell Burnard, says that while it’s a great responsibility, naming a child is also the “greatest gift” we can give our kin. 

“Naming a child is one of the greatest gifts any parent can give, and we know that much time and thought is given to this important milestone” Burnard says. 

So, what names are still going strong since 2022 and which ones have been kicked to the curb? 

In 2023, Noah overtook Oliver as the most popular name, ending its 10-year reign at the top of the name charts. 

What’s more, the top five in 2023 consists of the same boys’ names as last year, proving that we’re hedging our bets on these monikers for smooth sailing. 

When it came to the girls, Mila and Lily were booted from the top five with Olivia and Harper rising in the ranks, and Isla fell from first spot to third. 

Charlotte, Amelia and Isla have been battling it out in the top three for the last five years, clearly affirming themselves as Kiwi favourites in the baby game. 

Naming a child is one of the greatest gifts any parent can give, and we know that much time and thought is given to this important milestone. Photo / 123rf 

Top boys’ names 2023 

1. Noah 
2. Oliver 
3. Luca 
4. Jack 
5. Leo 
6. Theodore 
7. George 
8. Henry 
9. Charlie 
10. Hudson 
11. Arthur 
12. Arlo 
13. Elijah 
14. William 
15. James 
16. Lucas 
17. Liam 
18. Thomas 
19. Theo 
20. Oscar 
21. Cooper 
22. Beau 
23. Hugo 
24. Ethan 
25. Ezra 
26. Mason 
27. Archie 
28. Levi 
29. Max 
30. Carter 
31. Felix 
32. Finn 
33. Alexander 
34. Lachlan 
35. Asher 
36. Hunter 
37. Louie 
38. Luke 
39. Benjamin 
40. Harry 
41. Jackson 
42. Archer 
43. Micah 
44. Riley 
45. Caleb 
46. Isaac 
47. Louis 
48. Austin 
49. Luka 
50. Samuel 
51. Jordan 
52. Sebastian 
53. Daniel 
54. Ezekiel 
55. Eli 
56. Jasper 
57. Ryan 
58. Blake 
59. Harvey 
60. Harrison 
61. Nikau 
62. Grayson 
63. Roman 
64. Zion 
65. Toby 
66. Jacob 
67. Joshua 
68. Tommy 
69. Joseph 
70. Nathan 
71. Spencer 
72. Bodhi 
73. Edward 
74. Miles 
75. Oakley 
76. Ryder 
77. Jayden 
78. Malakai 
79. Logan 
80. Elias 
81. Gabriel 
82. River 
83. Angus 
84. Lincoln 
85. Nico 
86. Billy 
87. Ari 
88. Enzo 
89. Adam 
90. Freddie 
91. Harley 
92. Myles 
93. Atlas 
94. Isaiah 
95. Leon 
96. Niko 
97. Zorawar 
98. Braxton 
99. Matthew 
100. Aiden 

Top girls’ names 2023 

1. Charlotte 
2. Amelia 
3. Isla 
4. Olivia 
5. Harper 
6. Willow 
7. Lily 
8. Ava 
9. Ella 
10. Hazel 
11. Mila 
12. Evelyn 
13. Mia 
14. Sophie 
15. Isabella 
16. Aria 
17. Ruby 
18. Grace 
19. Millie 
20. Florence 
21. Lucy 
22. Ivy 
23. Chloe 
24. Zoe 1 
25. Maeve 
26. Daisy 
27. Matilda 
28. Sadie 
29. Sophia 
30. Emily 
31. Freya 
32. Luna 
33. Olive 
34. Georgia 
35. Maia 
36. Poppy 
37. Frankie 
38. Violet 
39. Mackenzie 
40. Ellie 
41. Riley 
42. Aurora 
43. Bella 
44. Madison 
45. Penelope 
46. Kaia 
47. Zara 
48. Billie 
49. Quinn 
50. Layla 
51. Amaia 
52. Eleanor 
53. Sienna 
54. Bonnie 
55. Isabelle 
56. Phoebe 
57. Abigail 
58. Eden 
59. Emilia 
60. Eva 
61. Sofia 
62. Stella 
63. Delilah 
64. Aaliyah 
65. Scarlett 
66. Kiara 
67. Emma 
68. Alice 
69. Molly 
70. Thea 
71. Indie 
72. Maya 
73. Ayla 
74. Elsie 
75. Evie 
76. Margot 
77. Hannah 
78. Ada 
79. Esther 
80. Harlow 
81. Maddison 
82. Cleo 
83. Harriet 
84. Manaia 
85. Elizabeth 
86. Iris 
87. Summer 
88. Arabella 
89. Maisie 
90. Amber 
91. Tilly 
92. Addison 
93. Rehmat 
94. Zoey 
95. Eliana 
96. Marley 
97. Skylar 
98. Faith 
99. Clara 
100. Piper 

Top boys’ names since records began in 1848 

1. John
2. William
3. James
4. David
5. Robert
6. Michael
7. Peter
8. Thomas
9. George
10. Richard

Top girls’ names since records began in 1848 

1. Mary
2. Margaret
3. Elizabeth
4. Sarah
5. Patricia
6. Catherine
7. Susan
8. Helen
9. Emma
10. Alice

Information gathered by SmartStart