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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 9 (April 1, 1933)

“Ny-ree.”

“Ny-ree.”

The present writer has frequently been asked to suggest a suitable Maori name for a child. The proud parents almost invariably reject the names suggested, if it is a girl child, and christen the unfortunate young howler Ngaire. It is no use telling them that that word so spelt is not Maori; that it should be spelt Ngaere, and that it simply means a swamp or bog. They positively won't believe it; the idea is fixed in their minds that it means beautiful hope from heaven, or darling ray of sunshine, or something like that. And of course they pronounce it “Ny-ree.”

Another name which for some inexplicable reason seems favoured by some page 22 pakeha parents is Kiore. It appears to be reserved exclusively for girls. Here again, it is not much use trying to switch off the mother on to more fitting Maori words. No use to tell them it means a rat. They will have Kiore.