New Zealand and Australia are cousins not twins, even though there is always, always one person who seriously asks what part of Australia is New Zealand in. Lol cool bro.

We may lay claim to certain things that we can’t actually prove (which I am not going to tangle with) however I am going to lay into our respective naming data.

Looking at the distinct names within our Top 100 list, I have to say, with a heavy heart, because I bloody love NZ, Australia has us here. We’ve got more overlap than distinction, and when you pull out the names that are uniquely ours and theirs, man they’ve got it good.

Names in bold have my TBN seal of approval.

Boy Names

New Zealand

• Atlas

• David

• Dylan

• Enzo

• Ezekiel

• Freddie

• Frederick

• John

• Luke

• Malakai

• Mateo

• Micah

• Nico

• Oakley

• Ollie

• Reuben

• Ryder

• Tobias

• Zion

• Zorawar

Australia

• Alfie

• Ali

• Darcy

• Finley

• Fletcher

• Flynn

• Gabriel

• Jude

• Julian

• Lennox

• Leonardo

• Maverick

• Myles

• Parker

• Patrick

• Remy

• Rory

• Sonny

• Vincent

• Xavier

A note on Maverick and Xavier: I LOVEEEEEE the idea of Mav and Xav as standalones. These just feel so much slicker than their long form counterparts which just aren’t the one.

Girl Names

New Zealand

• Ada

• Amaia

• Arabella

• Asees

• Esther

• Indie

• Iris

• Kiara

• Leah

• Lucia

• Mabel

• Madison

• Maia

• Quinn

• Sarah

• Thea

• Zoey

Australia

• Adeline

• Ariana

• Audrey

• Charlie

• Claire

• Elena

• Hallie (Halle spelling is superior IMO)

• Heidi

• Lainey

• Lottie

• Lola

• Maggie

• Piper

• Pippa

• Remi

• Rose

• Savannah

Where do you stand? Who won the naming trans Tasman battle for 2024?