The name "Aotearoa" is the Maori name for New Zealand. It is a combination of the words "ao" (meaning light or dawn) and "tearoa" (meaning long white cloud). The name is said to have been given to the country by the Polynesian explorer Kupe, who arrived in New Zealand around 950 AD. Kupe is said to have seen a long white cloud in the distance and named the land "Aotearoa" in honor of it.
The name "Aotearoa" is now widely used by both Maori and non-Maori in New Zealand. It is the official name of the country in the Maori language, and it is also used in many English-language contexts.