Manaia
femaleMaoriIn 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: Maori
Recorded in official data for New Zealand from 2007 to 2023. Highest recorded position: #72 in New Zealand in 2008. See regions.
Data Confidence
Confidence in the evidencebehind this name's data — never a rating of the name itself, and never affected by how well it matches your preferences. How this is assessed
Because: backed by officially or academically authoritative sources, recently verified.
Averaged from the real per-claim source-authority assessments already computed for this name's meaning/origin/pronunciation/popularity evidence.
Averaged from the real per-claim supporting-source counts already computed for this name's evidence.
See full evidence assessment (8 dimensions, 1 not yet tracked)
No recorded source disagreement for this name's meanings or origins.
Calculated from how long ago this record was last verified (2026-07-25), against a 270-day staleness threshold.
Calculated from the number of geographies with official popularity data (1) — broader official coverage means the evidence base is relevant to more of where the name is actually used.
Calculated from how many of the expected data sections (variants, similar names, popularity, notable usage, IPA pronunciation) are actually populated for this name.
Averaged from the real per-claim direct-observation-vs-inference ratios already computed for this name's evidence.
Cross-source identity and variant resolution requires HEKNO Knowledge, which isn't connected yet.
Name Characteristics
How these are calculatedDescriptive attributes of the name itself — not a confidence measurement, and not an overall quality score. Namewise doesn't approve or disapprove of names.
Editorial judgement of how consistently this name is pronounced correctly on first read, mapped from an easy/moderate/variable rating to a number. Describes the name — not a measure of evidence confidence.
Calculated directly from the name's spelling: shorter names with fewer irregular letter clusters score higher. A disclosed formula, not an editorial opinion — and not a confidence measurement.
Derived from how many geographies' official statistics record this name. It measures where the name is registered, not how well-known it feels to people living there.
Derived from the same official statistical coverage, scaled to reflect how widely the name crosses national datasets. Not a measure of how easily it is understood in another language.
Derived from the name's traditional/modern classification and its current popularity trend direction.
Overview
- Origin
- Maori
- Meaning
- 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).
- Pronunciation
- MAH-nah-ee-ah
- Syllables
- 2
- Common nicknames
- None recorded
- Classification
- Traditional & modern
- Gender usage
- female
- Language family
- Maori
Popularity
among girls in New Zealand · 2007–2023
View as table
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2007 | #95 |
| 2008 | #72 |
| 2009 | #87 |
| 2011 | #79 |
| 2023 | #84 |
VerifiedSource: NZ Department of Internal Affairs — Most Popular Baby Names.Confidence: high.
See all New Zealand names · Source: NZ Department of Internal Affairs — Most Popular Baby Names
What the data shows
Recorded in official data among girls in New Zealand in 5 of the 17 years from 2007 to 2023.
Official data for New Zealand, 2007–2023 · NZ Department of Internal Affairs. Data sources
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
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #84 among girls in New Zealand, in 2023.
New Zealand · Girls
Meaning & Origin
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).
VerifiedSource: Te Aka Māori Dictionary, Behind the Name.Confidence: high.
VerifiedSource: Te Aka Māori Dictionary.Confidence: high.
Variants
No spelling variants or nicknames recorded yet.
Similar Names
No similar names recorded yet for this name.
Similarity is a demonstration score — see methodology.
Spelling
Calculated directly from the name's spelling — see Name Characteristics above.
No commonly used alternate spellings recorded.
Pronunciation
- Syllables
- 2
- Ease
- easy
VerifiedSource: Maori Pronunciation Guide, Te Reo Maori Pronunciation Guide.Confidence: high.
Where Manaia Is Recorded
National statistical agencies have recorded Manaia in these places. This shows where the name is used — not where it comes from, and not that it carries particular cultural significance there.
Notable Usage
No safely-sourced notable usage recorded for this name yet.
Sibling & Surname Compatibility
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