Girl name · Māori
Wairua
“spirit, soul”
Vibes
Explore Wairua further
Similar-feel alternatives, or middle-name candidates that pair well with Wairua — both ranked by the same scoring system (vibe overlap, syllable rhythm, origin compatibility).
About the name
Wairua is Māori — "spirit, soul" — the part of a person that travels in dreams and endures after death, one of te reo's most important spiritual words (wai, water, flows inside it).
Essentially unknown beyond Aotearoa, Wairua is the spirit category at full theological depth.
Three flowing syllables (why-ROO-ah) with Wai as the key. It pairs well with short middles (Wairua Rose, Wairua Mae). On our vibe map it is Mythological at soul-depth with Cultural Fusion waters — the spirit, with water running through it.
More Māori names
Wairua sits in our Māori set — these share its roots.
All Māori names →Wairua — common questions
Is Wairua a boy or girl name?
Wairua is traditionally a girl name of Māori origin.
What does the name Wairua mean?
Wairua means “spirit, soul” of Māori origin. Wairua is Māori — "spirit, soul" — the part of a person that travels in dreams and endures after death, one of te reo's most important spiritual words (wai, water, flows inside it).
Where does the name Wairua come from?
Wairua is Māori in origin. Essentially unknown beyond Aotearoa, Wairua is the spirit category at full theological depth.
How popular is Wairua?
Wairua did not make the top 1,000 girls' names in US Social Security Administration data for 2025, which makes it genuinely rare in the US.
Bring the name into the room
A couple of nice things named Wairua you might want for the nursery.