Cleo vs Manaia
Cleo and Manaiacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Cleo was ranked #82 and Manaia #84 among girls in New Zealand.
Side by side
| Field | Cleo | Manaia |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | In Maori, a stylised carved figure/motif described as a guardian able to cross between the spiritual and human worlds (also independently described elsewhere as a mythological creature with a bird's head and human body — a descriptive variance between sources, not a genuine dispute). |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Maori |
| Pronunciation | /manai̯a/ | |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #273 (2025) | New Zealand · Girls #84 (2023) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 40/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Manaia has a recorded origin (Maori); Cleo does not have one recorded yet.
- Cleo has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Manaia.
- A meaning is recorded for Manaia; Cleo doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in NZ.
How each name got here
Cleo
Popularity journey
First recorded1974
First recorded at #490 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1974 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded2021–2023
Highest recorded position: #82 among girls in New Zealand, in 2023 (recorded 2021–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #273 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Manaia
Popularity journey
First recorded2007
First recorded at #95 among girls in New Zealand in 2007 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded2007–2023
Highest recorded position: #72 among girls in New Zealand, in 2008 (recorded 2007–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #84 among girls in New Zealand, in 2023.
New Zealand · Girls