Revealed: New Zealand's most popular baby names of 2016

New Zealand's most popular baby names. Photo / 123RF

Olivia and Oliver have proved to be the most popular names chosen by Kiwi parents for the second year running.

The Department of Internal Affairs has released the top 10 boys' and girls' names for 2016 - and there's little change in the top three choices.

Olivia and Charlotte remain the most favoured choice of names for girls for the second straight year, but Harper loses favour to Isla.

If you're a parent of a boy you were likely to have opted for Oliver, Jack and William. James slips a place to fifth, replaced by Mason.

Leo rocketed into the top 10 of the boys' list having traditionally been outside the top 20.

About 61,000 births were recorded in 2016.

The top 100 names make up only a small proportion of all names given to babies, as more than 18,000 unique first names were registered for children born last year.

The 2016 top girls' names (2015 place in brackets):

1. Olivia (1)
2. Charlotte (2)
3. Isla (7)
4. Harper (3)
5. Ella (6)
6. Amelia (9)
7. Emily (5)
8. Mia (8)
9. Ava (15)
10. Sophie (4)

2016 top boys' names:

1. Oliver (1)
2. Jack (2)
3. William (3)
4. Mason (6)
5. James (4)
6. Hunter (7)
7. Noah (11)
8. Lucas (14)
9. Leo (24)
10. Max (13)