New Zealand PM reveals her baby's name

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford on Sunday revealed the name of their baby girl, who was born on June 21.

Emerging from Auckland City Hospital with their sleeping baby Sunday mornin, Ardern and Gayford told the media they had named her Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford, reports CNN.

Ardern is the first world leader in nearly 30 years to have a child while in office.

"Neve" (pronounced like leave) means radiant, light or snow and "Te Aroha" (Tay Ah-row-ha) means love and is also the name of the mountain and town near where Ardern lived as a child.

The baby will be known as Neve Gayford for short.

Ardern said like many parents she and Gayford had struggled to settle on a name before the birth and had a shortlist prepared.

"We wanted to wait until the baby arrived to really see which one felt like it worked, we chose Neve because we just liked it and when we met her we thought she looked she suited the name," the Prime Minister said.

"Also, it means -- in various forms -- it means bright and radiant, and snow which seemed like a good combination for Matariki (the Maori New Year) and for solstice."

However the couple chose "Te Aroha" quite quickly, as it reflected the love their baby had been shown before her birth, she said.

Ardern is taking six weeks parental leave before Gayford -- who hosts a fishing documentary series -- takes on the role of stay-at-home father, CNN reported.

She also posted a video on her Facebook account Sunday, thanking hospital staff and well-wishers, showing her room in the maternity ward and introducing Neve.

Ardern became the Labour Party's youngest leader and New Zealand's youngest in 150 years after defeating former Prime Minister Bill English in last October's election.

--IANS

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