Papaioea is a suburb of Palmerston North on New Zealand's North Island. Its name comes from the name of the original settlement in a clearing in forest which was purchased from local Māori in 1864. The name was used to describe Palmerston North also.

How did Papaioea get its name?

Papaioea was the original name given to Palmerston North by early Maori, meaning “How beautiful it is.” This was in reference to the location of the settlement next to the Manawatu River. It is now the name of a suburb in Palmerston North.

What is Palmerston North in Māori?

The word "north" was added later in 1871 by the Post Office to distinguish it from Palmerston in the South Island. The Māori names are "Pamutana" - the transliteration of "Palmerston North" and "Papaioea" - which is believed to mean "How beautiful it is".