Hello all
What do you think of Aroha? (pronounced Arrow-ha for those non-kiwis!!). It means love.

Any NZ'ers out there, any good names? I am looking for something inspiring as my list of potentials is growing without anything leaping at me!!

thanks

Being a kiwi I went to school with quite a few Aroha's. I think it's a lovely name but I probably wouldn't name my child something with a strong ethnic background that I didn't actually identify as.

I don't really like it, but if you do have a NZ background then it's not too bad.

This exactly.

The sound of it is not bad, but (and this is very insensitive, I know) it sounds like someone saying "Aloha" with a speech impediment which could be a source of teasing.

Exactly what I was going to say!

It may make a very sweet middle name though - I personally wouldn't use it as a first name.

Aroha is a lovely name and common around where I live.

I seriously considered the boy's name Tane (Tah-nay) for a while, until I realised that my pakeha boy wouldn't really suit a Maori name (in my opinion). Likewise, the girls' name Aisha was top of my list for my DD for a while, but I'm glad I didn't go for it now as my blonde haired blue-eyed daughter would just not have suited an Arabic name.

BTW, I pronounce Aroha as Arra-HA.

Okay if you are of that heritage. Otherwise a big no from me.

I love it, it would have been the name (Cleo Aroha) for my newborn had he been a girl. We live in NZ as Australian expats and yes we're all fair skinned fair haired Anglo's .. but it is a beautiful name, beautifully pronounced, though I don't think Aussies find it too easy to wrap their lips around Maori vowels.
As it was we had a boy so no Aroha which I'm still a little sad about.
I think you should definitely consider it for a middle name!

Only as a middle name

Lovely! There's a new Mum at my kids school called Aroha and I thought when I met her how pretty and different the name is! And she's a lovely person as well!

All the best!

(edited to fix a typo (I'm sleepy!))

I like it! Pronounced correctly, nothing like Aloha.

It sounds lovely but I wouldn't use it.

Not even remotely similar to Aloha in pronounciation ,if pronounced properly.

I like it used by Maori but I don't like Maori names used by Pakeha just because they like the sound of it. If you've got strong marae connections and the like, then maybe but if you're an average Pakeha without that, then for me, it's a no.

Can I ask what is the correct pronunciation? The Mum at my kids school introduced herself as "Aroha - like Aloha with an 'r'." I believe she's from NZ originally.

When I saw it, I thought you were trying to "creatively" spell,

Aurora!

The woman at the school may have been trying to 'dumb it down' a bit to explain the spelling using Aloha, it's very hard to explain the pronunciation without a soundbite of some kind, but I would spell it out

AhRow-HA.

And theres a bit of tongue twanging on the second syllable!

I'm surprised no one has commented on it's meaning - love I think it's a beautiful name. I also like Hine, Kuia and Ngarie for a girl. Tamatea (?) - often just called Tama and Manuka are a couple of the boys names that appealled but unless you actually have Maori blood I'd only use it them as a middle name (except perhaps Ngarie as it's more mainstream in NZ). Although GF with no Maori blood has her middle name as Raitai, which was her GM's first name - named in the 1920's with no Maori blood just because her GGM liked the name!

Do what YOU want LOL, the names in my son Kinder class in NSW are from all over the world, pronoucable and not and many of the anglo names have their spellings as stuffed up as they can for trendiness so don't bother about others.



No-where lengthy enough but http://www.babynamenetwork.com/baby_names/..._baby_names.cfm may give you some ideas. Ngaio would be nice as a reference to Ngaio Marsh if literature is your thing?

OK so the true born and breed Kiwi comes in. Can also have:

Could also make it Arohanui (big love)

Ana
Amiri - the eastwind
Marama - Light of the world
Mere - maori version of mary
Ngaire - silver fern
Hemi - marori version of James
Rawiri - maori version of David
Pania - Mythological sea maiden
Tane - maori god of the forrest
Moana - lake
Rangi - God representing the father (sky god)
Mana - power, charisma, authority

Our friends also have daughter who is called Harakeke which means flax.

I think it is a gorgeous name, but would probably use it as a middle name. I loved the suggestion in PP of Cleo Aroha teamed together. Mmmm ... beautiful!

Cheers,
Robbie

Thanks Dusty! I guess I'd have to "hear" the difference. There's a dance at school tonight so if Aroha's there I might ask her!

Hi

I used to sit next to a girl at work called Aroha and I must have heard her say at least 100 times a day how to correctly say the name to people. It used to drive us all crazy. It's a nice name but it just seems to be one of those names that people never know how to pronounce!!

I think pronounciation would be an issue in Australia.

Us 'true born and breed' kiwis know how to pronounce it but I've heard a lot of Maori names utterly butchered on this side of the Tasman.

Thanks for the feedback.


My great-Grandma was a Queen in Ngai Tahu tribe so I think I have enough blood to 'use' the name (although the only part of me that looks semi-Maori is my nose as I have blonde hair and blue eyes! Thanks for that thought Sarita as I would also hate to cause friction because I don't look Maori, and I wouldn't want to appear disrespectful.

LizzieMc thanks for that - I am trying to avoid a name that most people can't pronounce and I thought this one could almost be fool proof here in oz.

Might suggest to DH we use this as a middle name....

Tinaka, thanks for your suggestions. I used to go to school with a girl Pania and she was gorgeous. I didn't realise the meaning of that name and I quite like it too!

Tsikos, thanks for the link! I will go there now and check it out.

While we are on the subject of kiwi names, any one know the meaning of Nalani? This is what my friends little girl is called and I am not sure if it is Maori/Samoan (as I can't remember the heritage of her husband! )

thanks

I think I just spent too much time with Pakeha trying to be more Maori and politically correct than Maori back in the 1980's It probably flavours my take on it.

Nalani sounds more Samoan to my ear than Maori but I could be wrong.

I'd take it as an Islander name too. Too flowly IYKWIM rather than 'consananty"

DH is Maori i no idea on how to say it i have to ask , mind you our son middle name is Mikaere (Michale in Eng) i can say that

http://www.babynamesworld.com/maori-names.html

I love these names
Love this for a Girl
Name: Aoatea
Girl
Origin:
Maori

Meaning:
Dawn

Pronunciation:
(ao AH teh ah) [Guide]


Name: Emiri


Meaning:
Rival


Pronunciation:
(eh MEE ree)

Form of:
Emily

Name: Miriama
Meaning:
Uncertain, maybe bitter

Pronunciation:
(mih REE ah mah)


if i could say them girls would of had a maori name

Kristie