Top 10 boys names

The top 10 boys names over the last 120 years in New Zealand are: John, David, William, James, Michael, Robert, Peter, Thomas, Andrew and Paul.

Top 10 girls names

The top 10 girls names over this same time period are: Margaret, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Patricia, Susan, Helen, Jennifer, Christine and Karen.

Top names from 1955 – 1975

If you were born in the 50’s, 60’s or 70’s see if you can find your name, or no doubt a few of your friends or classmates from school.

It’s interesting to see how much the names have changed if you then check out the top baby names for 2020. None of the most popular names above even feature. But there are some wonderful new, but actually old fashioned additions.

Girls names

1955

1. Susan
2. Christine
3. Margaret
4. Judith
5. Jennifer
6. Karen
7. Patricia
8. Mary
9. Linda
10. Barbara
11. Elizabeth
12. Robyn
13. Wendy
14. Helen
15. Heather
16. Lynette
17. Anne
18. Sandra
19. Diane
20. Carol

1960

1. Susan
2. Karen
3. Christine
4. Julie
5. Deborah
6. Sandra
7. Donna
8. Jennifer
9. Elizabeth
10. Wendy
11. Sharon
12. Joanne
13. Linda
14. Robyn
15. Judith
16. Mary
17. Helen
18. Margaret
19. Patrica
20. Debra

1965

1. Karen
2. Susan
3. Sandra
4. Michelle
5. Joanne
6. Donna
7. Deborah
8. Sharon
9. Tania
10. Julie
11. Christine
12. Jacqueline
13. Tracey
14. Linda
15. Wendy
16. Helen
17. Elizabeth
18. Angela
19. Nicola
20. Kim

1970

1. Lisa
2. Michelle
3. Karen
4. Rachel
5. Joanne
6. Nicola
7. Tracey
8. Angela
9. Tania
10. Deborah
11. Tracy
12. Kim
13. Sarah
14. Sharon
15. Paula
16. Donna
17. Julie
18. Fiona
19. Susan
20. Andrea

1975

1. Sarah
2. Nicola
3. Angela
4. Lisa
5. Michelle
6. Rebecca
7. Rachel
8. Melanie
9. Natasha
10. Amanda
11. Joanne
12. Kylie
13. Tania
14. Karen
15. Andrea
16. Katrina
17. Vanessa
18. Kim
19. Megan
20. Kelly

2020

1. Isla
2. Charlotte
3. Amelia
4. Olivia
5. Willow
6. Harper
7. Ava
8. Lily
9. Sophie
10. Ella
11. Mia
12. Isabella
13. Mila
14. Chloe
15. Emily
16. Lucy
17. Grace
18. Ruby
19. Aria
20. Hazel

Boys names

1955

1. John
2. Peter
3. David
4. Michael
5. Robert
6. Paul
7. Stephen
8. Keven
9. Christopher
10. Ian
11. Mark
12. Richard
13. William
14. Brian
15. Bruce
16. Murray
17. Alan
18. Anthony
19. Wayne
20. James

1960

1. David
2. Peter
3. Michael
4. John
5. Stephen
6. Mark
7. Paul
8. Robert
9. Christopher
10. Kevin
11. Anthony
12. Richard
13. Ian
14. Craig
15. William
16. Gregory
17. Wayne
18. Andrew
19. Grant
20. James

1965

1. David
2. Michael
3. Paul
4. Peter
5. John
6. Andrew
7. Mark
8. Stephen
9. Richard
10. Robert
11. Christopher
12. Craig
13. Darren
14. James
15. Anthony
16. Grant
17. Wayne
18. Shane
19. Steven
20. Gregory

1970

1. Jason
2. Michael
3. David
4. Andrew
5. Paul
6. Mark
7. Stephen
8. Craig
9. Christopher
10. Richard
11. John
12. Peter
13. Shane
14. Robert
15. James
16. Steven
17. Matthew
18. Simon
19. Anthony
20. Grant

1975

1. Michael
2. Andrew
3. David
4. Mark
5. Jason
6. Daniel
7. Matthew
8. Paul
9. Richard
10. James
11. Christopher
12. Craig
13. Robert
14. Aaron
15. John
16. Nicholas
17. Steven
18. Stephen
19. Scott
20. Shane

2020

1. Oliver
2. Jack
3. Noah
4. Leo
5. Lucas
6. George
7. Charlie
8. Thomas
9. William
10. Hunter
11. Elijah
12. Cooper
13. James
14. Lachlan
15. Theodore
16. Arlo
17. Mason
18. Liam
19. Oscar
20. Hudson

References:

• Most Popular Male and Female First Names Te Tari Taiwhenua | Department of Internal Affairs
• Top baby names of the past 120 years RNZ Jan 1 2020