New Zealand: Most Popular Baby Names in 1956

Names registered at least 10 times in a year, so the list is shorter in early years. Spellings with and without macrons are counted together (Nikau and Nīkau).

Boy Names

  1. 1 Peter 1,451 babies 1
  2. 2 John 1,279 babies 1
  3. 3 David 1,200 babies =
  4. 4 Michael 869 babies =
  5. 5 Paul 726 babies 1
  6. 6 Stephen 720 babies 1
  7. 7 Robert 696 babies 2
  8. 8 Kevin 599 babies =
  9. 9 Mark 573 babies 2
  10. 10 Christopher 523 babies 1
  11. 11 Ian 451 babies 1
  12. 12 Richard 436 babies =
  13. 13 Brian 429 babies 1
  14. 14 William 428 babies 1
  15. 15 Wayne 397 babies 4
  16. 16 Bruce 395 babies 1
  17. 17 Anthony 382 babies 1
  18. 18 James 354 babies 2
  19. 19 Gary 348 babies 3
  20. 20 Graeme 337 babies 1
  21. 21 Alan 329 babies 5
  22. 22 Murray 312 babies 5
  23. 23 Graham 293 babies =
  24. 24 Grant 259 babies 9
  25. 25 Barry 256 babies 1
  26. 26 Colin 256 babies 1
  27. 27 Geoffrey 245 babies =
  28. 28 Andrew 242 babies 11
  29. 29 Kenneth 237 babies =
  30. 30 Gregory 236 babies 5
  31. 31 Neil 236 babies 1
  32. 32 Philip 234 babies 2
  33. 33 Ross 232 babies 7
  34. 34 Steven 215 babies 2
  35. 35 Allan 207 babies 2
  36. 36 Donald 200 babies 2
  37. 37 Trevor 198 babies 6
  38. 38 Raymond 187 babies 10
  39. 39 Stuart 175 babies 8
  40. 40 Keith 170 babies 1
  41. 41 Roger 169 babies 1
  42. 42 Garry 166 babies 4
  43. 43 Russell 165 babies 1
  44. 44 Thomas 160 babies 1
  45. 45 Malcolm 157 babies 4
  46. 46 Patrick 151 babies 10
  47. 47 Phillip 149 babies 5
  48. 48 Jeffrey 145 babies 16
  49. 49 Douglas 144 babies 1
  50. 50 Martin 141 babies 4
  51. 51 Gordon 135 babies 7
  52. 52 Warren 135 babies 9
  53. 53 George 134 babies 8
  54. 54 Ronald 132 babies 12
  55. 55 Craig 128 babies 7
  56. 56 Robin 126 babies 3
  57. 57 Timothy 124 babies 9
  58. 58 Leslie 122 babies 1
  59. 59 Charles 116 babies =
  60. 60 Dennis 116 babies 14
  61. 61 Gavin 115 babies 6
  62. 62 Neville 113 babies 8
  63. 63 Simon 113 babies 15
  64. 64 Brent 112 babies 10
  65. 65 Edward 109 babies 14
  66. 66 Terence 102 babies 6
  67. 67 Nigel 96 babies 5
  68. 68 Bryan 94 babies 3
  69. 69 Joseph 93 babies 3
  70. 70 Lindsay 93 babies 7
  71. 71 Kerry 92 babies 2
  72. 72 Tony 91 babies 1
  73. 73 Rex 88 babies 5
  74. 74 Glenn 86 babies 7
  75. 75 Rodney 82 babies 2
  76. 76 Noel 80 babies 5
  77. 77 Alexander 76 babies 1
  78. 78 Eric 71 babies 2
  79. 79 Derek 66 babies 9
  80. 80 Lance 62 babies 1
  81. 81 Norman 62 babies 15
  82. 82 Maurice 61 babies 3
  83. 83 Gerard 60 babies 4
  84. 84 Shane 60 babies 17
  85. 85 Daniel 58 babies 25
  86. 86 Desmond 58 babies 8
  87. 87 Nicholas 57 babies 3
  88. 88 Bernard 55 babies 5
  89. 89 Ivan 55 babies 29
  90. 90 Arthur 54 babies 15
  91. 91 Stewart 54 babies 5
  92. 92 Terry 54 babies 15
  93. 93 Kelvin 53 babies 13
  94. 94 Francis 52 babies 12
  95. 95 Dean 49 babies 41
  96. 96 Alistair 48 babies 17
  97. 97 Brett 48 babies 4
  98. 98 Lawrence 48 babies =
  99. 99 Leonard 47 babies 12
  100. 100 Hugh 45 babies 9
  101. 101 Jonathan 45 babies 4
  102. 102 Owen 45 babies 17
  103. 103 Gerald 43 babies 13
  104. 104 Darryl 42 babies 22
  105. 105 Henry 42 babies 1
  106. 106 Laurence 42 babies 7
  107. 107 Lloyd 42 babies 7
  108. 108 Mervyn 42 babies 16
  109. 109 Roy 42 babies 20
  110. 110 Albert 41 babies 28
  111. 111 Allen 41 babies 4
  112. 112 Frank 41 babies 17
  113. 113 Stanley 41 babies 10
  114. 114 Frederick 40 babies 11
  115. 115 Howard 40 babies 12
  116. 116 Walter 40 babies 3
  117. 117 Matthew 39 babies 5
  118. 118 Clive 38 babies 10
  119. 119 Carl 37 babies 6
  120. 120 Denis 37 babies 11
  121. 121 Glen 37 babies 5
  122. 122 Warwick 37 babies 25
  123. 123 Jack 36 babies 11
  124. 124 Adrian 35 babies 22
  125. 125 Ashley 34 babies 1
  126. 126 Garth 34 babies 15
  127. 127 Jeremy 34 babies 31
  128. 128 Lewis 34 babies 7
  129. 129 Victor 34 babies =
  130. 130 Bryce 33 babies 1
  131. 131 Clifford 33 babies 1
  132. 132 Jeffery 33 babies 15
  133. 133 Terrence 33 babies 13
  134. 134 Harry 31 babies 17
  135. 135 Scott 30 babies 55
  136. 136 Antony 29 babies 17
  137. 137 Larry 29 babies 23
  138. 138 Duncan 28 babies 26
  139. 139 Kim 28 babies 10
  140. 140 Ernest 27 babies 7
  141. 141 Harold 27 babies 11
  142. 142 Ralph 27 babies 8
  143. 143 Daryl 26 babies 2
  144. 144 Johannes 26 babies 4
  145. 145 Wiremu 26 babies 16
  146. 146 Dale 25 babies 4
  147. 147 Alastair 24 babies 8
  148. 148 Hamish 24 babies 35
  149. 149 Selwyn 24 babies 3
  150. 150 Benjamin 23 babies 41
  151. 151 Max 22 babies 37
  152. 152 Reginald 21 babies 4
  153. 153 Roderick 21 babies 25
  154. 154 Evan 20 babies 17
  155. 155 Samuel 20 babies 20
  156. 156 Bevan 19 babies 14
  157. 157 Guy 19 babies 11
  158. 158 Lester 19 babies 7
  159. 159 Cyril 18 babies 21
  160. 160 Lee 18 babies 34
  161. 161 Martyn 18 babies 37
  162. 162 Miles 18 babies 1
  163. 163 Shaun 18 babies 49
  164. 164 Alfred 17 babies 10
  165. 165 Barrie 17 babies 4
  166. 166 Julian 17 babies 43
  167. 167 Karl 17 babies 24
  168. 168 Maxwell 17 babies 24
  169. 169 Alister 16 babies 7
  170. 170 Brendan 16 babies 6
  171. 171 Edwin 16 babies 31
  172. 172 Errol 16 babies 7
  173. 173 Vincent 16 babies 16
  174. 174 Blair 15 babies 3
  175. 175 Darrell 15 babies 6
  176. 176 Gilbert 15 babies 6
  177. 177 Iain 15 babies 16
  178. 178 Louis 15 babies 12
  179. 179 Marcus 15 babies 18
  180. 180 Neal 15 babies
  181. 181 Sean 15 babies 13
  182. 182 Rodger 14 babies 15
  183. 183 Antonius 13 babies
  184. 184 Brendon 13 babies 11
  185. 185 Campbell 13 babies
  186. 186 Clinton 13 babies
  187. 187 Danny 13 babies 13
  188. 188 Grahame 13 babies 4
  189. 189 Herbert 13 babies 15
  190. 190 Jan 13 babies 4
  191. 191 Roland 13 babies
  192. 192 Rowan 13 babies 3
  193. 193 Fredrick 12 babies
  194. 194 Harvey 12 babies
  195. 195 Mathew 12 babies
  196. 196 Rangi 12 babies 6
  197. 197 Jerry 11 babies
  198. 198 Leigh 11 babies
  199. 199 Leo 11 babies 24
  200. 200 Milton 11 babies
  201. 201 Morris 11 babies 25
  202. 202 Perry 11 babies 43
  203. 203 Petrus 11 babies
  204. 204 Pieter 11 babies
  205. 205 Vaughan 11 babies 33
  206. 206 Cameron 10 babies
  207. 207 Carey 10 babies
  208. 208 Cedric 10 babies
  209. 209 Charlie 10 babies
  210. 210 Jon 10 babies
  211. 211 Lionel 10 babies 24
  212. 212 Ricky 10 babies
  213. 213 Riki 10 babies 10

Girl Names

  1. 1 Susan 849 babies =
  2. 2 Christine 755 babies =
  3. 3 Karen 616 babies 3
  4. 4 Judith 478 babies =
  5. 5 Margaret 467 babies 2
  6. 6 Jennifer 433 babies 1
  7. 7 Elizabeth 394 babies 4
  8. 8 Robyn 388 babies 4
  9. 9 Patricia 380 babies 2
  10. 10 Linda 369 babies 1
  11. 11 Mary 360 babies 3
  12. 12 Barbara 335 babies 2
  13. 13 Helen 326 babies 1
  14. 14 Wendy 325 babies 1
  15. 15 Sharon 319 babies 11
  16. 16 Anne 318 babies 1
  17. 17 Heather 317 babies 2
  18. 18 Sandra 312 babies =
  19. 19 Lynette 308 babies 3
  20. 20 Carol 296 babies =
  21. 21 Diane 275 babies 2
  22. 22 Pamela 251 babies 1
  23. 23 Julie 242 babies 5
  24. 24 Suzanne 235 babies =
  25. 25 Janice 230 babies 2
  26. 26 Dianne 222 babies 1
  27. 27 Catherine 215 babies 8
  28. 28 Deborah 215 babies 2
  29. 29 Janet 203 babies 7
  30. 30 Raewyn 203 babies 5
  31. 31 Rosemary 194 babies 2
  32. 32 Alison 192 babies 1
  33. 33 Pauline 188 babies 1
  34. 34 Kathleen 186 babies 1
  35. 35 Shirley 184 babies 8
  36. 36 Lorraine 171 babies =
  37. 37 Denise 166 babies 5
  38. 38 Annette 157 babies 3
  39. 39 Ann 152 babies =
  40. 40 Jane 150 babies 8
  41. 41 Yvonne 149 babies 4
  42. 42 Lesley 141 babies =
  43. 43 Glenda 139 babies 4
  44. 44 Jacqueline 134 babies 10
  45. 45 Marie 134 babies 7
  46. 46 Gail 133 babies 3
  47. 47 Jillian 128 babies 3
  48. 48 Kathryn 128 babies 13
  49. 49 Colleen 127 babies 5
  50. 50 Beverley 124 babies 10
  51. 51 Sheryl 124 babies 1
  52. 52 Joanne 123 babies 19
  53. 53 Cheryl 121 babies 6
  54. 54 Maureen 121 babies 8
  55. 55 Lynda 116 babies 4
  56. 56 Maria 116 babies 2
  57. 57 Brenda 114 babies 4
  58. 58 Marilyn 112 babies 13
  59. 59 Vicki 110 babies 3
  60. 60 Gillian 105 babies 4
  61. 61 Kay 100 babies 6
  62. 62 Joy 99 babies 17
  63. 63 Jan 98 babies 2
  64. 64 Donna 97 babies 4
  65. 65 Marion 93 babies 8
  66. 66 Frances 91 babies 6
  67. 67 Sally 90 babies 1
  68. 68 Angela 89 babies 12
  69. 69 Jeanette 89 babies 6
  70. 70 Debra 88 babies 21
  71. 71 Maree 87 babies 2
  72. 72 Carolyn 83 babies 16
  73. 73 Lynne 81 babies 5
  74. 74 Vivienne 81 babies 12
  75. 75 Dorothy 80 babies =
  76. 76 Ruth 79 babies 9
  77. 77 Louise 78 babies 11
  78. 78 Valerie 76 babies 4
  79. 79 Anna 74 babies 27
  80. 80 Jocelyn 73 babies 11
  81. 81 Penelope 73 babies 17
  82. 82 Adrienne 71 babies 5
  83. 83 Shona 71 babies 1
  84. 84 Diana 70 babies 10
  85. 85 Jill 70 babies 15
  86. 86 Philippa 69 babies 16
  87. 87 Victoria 68 babies 50
  88. 88 Glenys 67 babies 10
  89. 89 Stephanie 67 babies =
  90. 90 Joan 66 babies 7
  91. 91 Rhonda 66 babies 18
  92. 92 Elaine 63 babies 16
  93. 93 Josephine 63 babies 21
  94. 94 Kerry 63 babies 42
  95. 95 Bronwyn 62 babies 10
  96. 96 Dawn 62 babies 11
  97. 97 Katherine 62 babies 3
  98. 98 Paula 61 babies 15
  99. 99 Christina 60 babies 9
  100. 100 Lois 59 babies 16
  101. 101 Maxine 58 babies =
  102. 102 Julia 56 babies 19
  103. 103 Michelle 56 babies 1
  104. 104 Teresa 56 babies 6
  105. 105 Michele 55 babies 11
  106. 106 Claire 54 babies 13
  107. 107 Eileen 54 babies 6
  108. 108 Leonie 54 babies 14
  109. 109 Lynley 54 babies 6
  110. 110 Ngaire 54 babies 18
  111. 111 Jean 53 babies 16
  112. 112 Andrea 51 babies 7
  113. 113 Kaye 49 babies 2
  114. 114 Gloria 48 babies 15
  115. 115 Virginia 48 babies 4
  116. 116 Clare 47 babies 35
  117. 117 Janette 47 babies 1
  118. 118 Marlene 47 babies 5
  119. 119 Nicola 47 babies 9
  120. 120 Caroline 46 babies 8
  121. 121 Theresa 46 babies 29
  122. 122 Evelyn 45 babies 9
  123. 123 Gaylene 45 babies 3
  124. 124 Rosalie 45 babies 23
  125. 125 Fiona 44 babies 38
  126. 126 Irene 44 babies 45
  127. 127 Lynnette 44 babies 31
  128. 128 Georgina 43 babies 20
  129. 129 Lynn 42 babies 21
  130. 130 Susanne 42 babies 13
  131. 131 Noeline 40 babies 1
  132. 132 Sharron 40 babies 10
  133. 133 Prudence 39 babies 23
  134. 134 Sarah 39 babies =
  135. 135 Janine 38 babies 6
  136. 136 Rachel 38 babies 10
  137. 137 Cynthia 37 babies 12
  138. 138 Robin 37 babies 5
  139. 139 Ellen 36 babies 20
  140. 140 June 36 babies 13
  141. 141 Shelley 36 babies 22
  142. 142 Nancy 35 babies 11
  143. 143 Fay 33 babies 13
  144. 144 Faye 33 babies 8
  145. 145 Beverly 32 babies 16
  146. 146 Gael 32 babies 39
  147. 147 Bernadette 31 babies 21
  148. 148 Gaye 30 babies 22
  149. 149 Joanna 30 babies 11
  150. 150 Moira 30 babies 26
  151. 151 Veronica 30 babies 13
  152. 152 Adele 29 babies 25
  153. 153 Judy 29 babies 1
  154. 154 Katrina 29 babies 86
  155. 155 Sharyn 29 babies 2
  156. 156 Allison 28 babies 27
  157. 157 Audrey 28 babies 72
  158. 158 Dale 28 babies 18
  159. 159 Gayle 28 babies 33
  160. 160 Johanna 28 babies 11
  161. 161 Sylvia 28 babies 22
  162. 162 Amanda 27 babies 31
  163. 163 Anita 26 babies 3
  164. 164 Joyce 26 babies 20
  165. 165 Betty 25 babies 2
  166. 166 Marian 25 babies 17
  167. 167 Alice 24 babies 2
  168. 168 Charmaine 24 babies 30
  169. 169 Daphne 24 babies 26
  170. 170 Grace 24 babies 110
  171. 171 Phillipa 24 babies 2
  172. 172 Rita 24 babies 35
  173. 173 Glenis 23 babies 38
  174. 174 Miriam 23 babies 12
  175. 175 Raylene 23 babies
  176. 176 Rosemarie 23 babies 49
  177. 177 Erin 22 babies 26
  178. 178 Glynis 22 babies 116
  179. 179 Lee 22 babies 18
  180. 180 Lorna 22 babies 19
  181. 181 Bridget 21 babies 57
  182. 182 Doreen 21 babies 13
  183. 183 Gabrielle 21 babies 49
  184. 184 Gay 21 babies 6
  185. 185 Phyllis 21 babies 7
  186. 186 Rebecca 21 babies 2
  187. 187 Rosalind 21 babies 24
  188. 188 Vivien 21 babies 14
  189. 189 Geraldine 20 babies 10
  190. 190 Tui 20 babies 64
  191. 191 Eleanor 19 babies 15
  192. 192 Elisabeth 19 babies 64
  193. 193 Hazel 19 babies 18
  194. 194 Juliet 19 babies 27
  195. 195 Kristine 19 babies 89
  196. 196 Leigh 19 babies 9
  197. 197 Lisa 19 babies
  198. 198 Marianne 19 babies 12
  199. 199 Norma 19 babies =
  200. 200 Trudy 19 babies 46
  201. 201 Cherie 18 babies 7
  202. 202 Felicity 18 babies 57
  203. 203 Gaynor 18 babies 1
  204. 204 Hilary 18 babies 14
  205. 205 Lillian 18 babies 37
  206. 206 Martha 18 babies 39
  207. 207 Stella 18 babies 83
  208. 208 Toni 18 babies 8
  209. 209 Averil 17 babies 63
  210. 210 Belinda 17 babies 6
  211. 211 Delwyn 17 babies 36
  212. 212 Paulette 17 babies 40
  213. 213 Rangi 17 babies 11
  214. 214 Rose 17 babies 32
  215. 215 Tina 17 babies 52
  216. 216 Alexandra 16 babies 32
  217. 217 Beryl 16 babies 62
  218. 218 Carole 16 babies 60
  219. 219 Emily 16 babies
  220. 220 Hine 16 babies 40
  221. 221 Leslie 16 babies 30
  222. 222 Marjorie 16 babies 35
  223. 223 Moana 16 babies 76
  224. 224 Nola 16 babies 1
  225. 225 Rosanne 16 babies
  226. 226 Sonia 16 babies 37
  227. 227 Vicky 16 babies 26
  228. 228 Aroha 15 babies 43
  229. 229 Bernice 15 babies 20
  230. 230 Glennis 15 babies 21
  231. 231 Helena 15 babies 8
  232. 232 Linley 15 babies 11
  233. 233 Lyn 15 babies 63
  234. 234 Melanie 15 babies 28
  235. 235 Mereana 15 babies 28
  236. 236 Naomi 15 babies 22
  237. 237 Sara 15 babies 66
  238. 238 Thelma 15 babies
  239. 239 April 14 babies
  240. 240 Charlotte 14 babies 23
  241. 241 Eva 14 babies 18
  242. 242 Ingrid 14 babies 9
  243. 243 Isabel 14 babies 23
  244. 244 Loretta 14 babies
  245. 245 Marina 14 babies
  246. 246 Monica 14 babies 7
  247. 247 Olive 14 babies
  248. 248 Rowena 14 babies 13
  249. 249 Sheree 14 babies 15
  250. 250 Sherryl 14 babies 54
  251. 251 Sheryll 14 babies 36
  252. 252 Vera 14 babies 16
  253. 253 Aileen 13 babies 26
  254. 254 Carmel 13 babies 70
  255. 255 Cathryn 13 babies
  256. 256 Doris 13 babies 37
  257. 257 Karyn 13 babies
  258. 258 Lucy 13 babies 78
  259. 259 Marama 13 babies
  260. 260 Marcia 13 babies 79
  261. 261 Maryanne 13 babies
  262. 262 Megan 13 babies 11
  263. 263 Patrice 13 babies
  264. 264 Phillippa 13 babies 23
  265. 265 Terry 13 babies =
  266. 266 Therese 13 babies =
  267. 267 Vivian 13 babies 20
  268. 268 Winifred 13 babies 1
  269. 269 Beth 12 babies 32
  270. 270 Celia 12 babies 22
  271. 271 Cushla 12 babies 69
  272. 272 Esther 12 babies 64
  273. 273 Freda 12 babies
  274. 274 Janis 12 babies
  275. 275 Jeannie 12 babies
  276. 276 Kim 12 babies 35
  277. 277 Myra 12 babies 24
  278. 278 Natalie 12 babies 56
  279. 279 Roslyn 12 babies 53
  280. 280 Sabrina 12 babies
  281. 281 Sheridan 12 babies
  282. 282 Wilhelmina 12 babies 23
  283. 283 Cherry 11 babies 8
  284. 284 Deirdre 11 babies
  285. 285 Edith 11 babies 54
  286. 286 Elsie 11 babies
  287. 287 Erica 11 babies 29
  288. 288 Gwenda 11 babies 78
  289. 289 Jeanne 11 babies
  290. 290 Jenny 11 babies 29
  291. 291 Karin 11 babies
  292. 292 Lavinia 11 babies
  293. 293 Roberta 11 babies 59
  294. 294 Rosina 11 babies
  295. 295 Violet 11 babies
  296. 296 Agnes 10 babies
  297. 297 Ailsa 10 babies 69
  298. 298 Annie 10 babies
  299. 299 Avril 10 babies
  300. 300 Carla 10 babies
  301. 301 Cecilia 10 babies 27
  302. 302 Coral 10 babies 107
  303. 303 Dallas 10 babies 26
  304. 304 Desiree 10 babies 26
  305. 305 Faith 10 babies
  306. 306 Hariata 10 babies
  307. 307 Hilda 10 babies
  308. 308 Ivy 10 babies
  309. 309 Jeannette 10 babies
  310. 310 Kaylene 10 babies
  311. 311 Laurel 10 babies 49
  312. 312 Leona 10 babies
  313. 313 Margot 10 babies
  314. 314 May 10 babies
  315. 315 Mere 10 babies 63
  316. 316 Priscilla 10 babies 28
  317. 317 Rae 10 babies
  318. 318 Raewyne 10 babies
  319. 319 Rawinia 10 babies 17
  320. 320 Ruby 10 babies
  321. 321 Sonya 10 babies
  322. 322 Susanna 10 babies
  323. 323 Vanessa 10 babies 87

Source: Department of Internal Affairs

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