Romeo once mused, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, but in New Zealand, there is quite a lot in a name. Whether you’re naming a new-born, changing your own name, or registering your name on a property title, there are clear legal rules you must follow.

Naming a Baby in New Zealand

Naming your child is a joyful milestone, but it’s also a legal process. Under the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 2021 (the Act), baby names in New Zealand must meet certain criteria to be accepted for registration. The Act aims to ensure names are appropriate, respectful, and not misleading.

Key Rules for Baby Name Registration

1. Length and Characters

• A full name must be no more than 70 characters, including spaces.
• Names cannot contain numbers or symbols (e.g. “V8” or “J@ne”).

2. Offensive or Inappropriate Content

• Names that are offensive, obscene, or likely to cause offence will be rejected.

3. Titles and Official Ranks

• You can’t use names that resemble titles like “King,” “Justice,” “Princess,” or “Royal” to avoid misrepresentation.

4. Single Name Requests

• A single name (without a surname) may be accepted if it aligns with cultural, religious, or philosophical reasons. This requires a written explanation.

What Names Are Accepted?

New Zealand generally welcomes creativity in naming, so long as the rules above are followed. Māori names, invented names, hyphenated names, and names with diacritical marks (e.g., macrons) are all readily accepted.

What Names Are Rejected?

Some real-life examples of rejected names include:

• Lucifer
• 4Real
• Mafia No Fear
• Princess

When in doubt, it's best to consult the Department of Internal Affairs before submitting your registration.

Registration Process

• Timing: Births must be registered within two months.
• Cost: Registration is free, though a birth certificate incurs a fee.
• Who Registers: Usually both parents must complete the form. In special cases, one parent may do so alone (e.g. if the other is deceased or missing).

Changing Your Legal Name

If you want to change your name later in life, you can apply through the Department of Internal Affairs.

Eligibility:

• You must be a New Zealand citizen or have indefinite residency.
• Under 15: A parent or guardian must apply on the child’s behalf.
• 16–17 years old: Requires parental consent.
• 18 and over: You can apply independently.

Cost: $170

After Marriage:

A formal name change is not required if you are changing after marriage. You can start using your chosen name immediately and your marriage certificate is sufficient to update your name with most institutions. You can choose to:

• Keep your original name; or
• Take your spouse’s surname; or
• Hyphenate both surnames.

To update your name, notify the electoral roll, banks, passport office, driver licensing authority, healthcare providers, and other relevant organisations.

If you later decide to revert to your maiden name, no formal process is needed, you can just start using it again and update your records accordingly.

Name Consistency in Property Transactions

When buying property, name discrepancies across IDs can cause delays or confusion. For instance, mismatches between your passport, driver's licence, and utility bills may require a statutory declaration to confirm all variations refer to the same person.

This is especially common with names from other countries. For example, South Korean names regularly used spaces or hyphens between the traditionally two syllable first name (e.g. “Min Hee” or “Min-Hee”), but newer passports issued recently have systematically changed this to a single name (e.g. “Minhee”). While the name is the same in Korean, the difference in English spelling make them technically different names, and a further statutory declaration is needed to register property ownership.

Final Thoughts

While Romeo may have believed names do not matter, in the eyes of New Zealand law, they do. Whether registering a child’s name, changing your name, or dealing with property, it is essential to ensure your name is legally correct and consistent.

If you are unsure about any part of the process, our experienced legal team is here to help.