Components of Place Names
Ordinary geographical features such as hills, rivers, cliffs, streams, mountains, and the coast, and adjectives describing them, such as small, big, little, and long are to be found in many place names; here is a list so you can recognise them:
Au | current |
Awa | river |
Iti | small, little |
Kai | one of the meanings of kai is food; in a place name it signifies a place where a particular food source was plentiful e.g. Kaikōura, the place where crayfish (kōura) abounded and were eaten |
Mānia | plain |
Manga | stream |
Maunga | mountain |
Moana | sea, or large inland 'sea' e.g. Taupō |
Motu | island |
Nui | large, big |
ō | or o means 'of' (so does a, ā); many names begin with ō, meaning the place of so-and-so e.g. ōkahukura, ōkiwi, ōhau etc. |
One | sand, earth |
Pae | ridge, range |
Papa | flat |
Poto | short |
Puke | hill |
Roa | long |
Roto | lake; inside |
Tai | coast, tide |
Wai | water |
Whanga | harbour, bay |
Document Actions
Like us on Facebook