Maui Jim vs Oakley:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Oakley had more branded searches than Maui Jim among sunglasses brands in New Zealand. Oakley had about 16,100 branded searches, while Maui Jim had 480. Oakley made up 43.3% of all sunglasses brand searches we track, and Maui Jim accounted for 1.3%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about sunglasses brands, both Maui Jim and Oakley appeared in all four answers. Maui Jim was mentioned before Oakley in three out of four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Oakley, about 33 searches for every 1 for Maui Jim
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Maui Jim, named ahead of Oakley in 3 of 4 answers
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Top sunglasses brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, both Maui Jim and Oakley showed up in all four answers. Maui Jim was listed before Oakley in three of them.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Ray-Ban4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers- Oakley4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Maui Jim4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Le Specs3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Quay1 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Bollé1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Carrera0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about sunglasses brands
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which sunglasses brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best sunglasses brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best sunglasses brand in New Zealand for everyday wear?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“sunglasses brands”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“polarised sunglasses nz”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is Maui Jim or Oakley more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Maui Jim and Oakley by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven sunglasses brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Oakley, Maui Jim. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Ray-Ban | Oakley | Le Specs | Quay | Maui Jim | Carrera | Bollé |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 45.5% | 41% | 5.7% | 3.6% | 1.9% | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 41% | 44.8% | 6% | 4.3% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1% |
| Dec 2025 | 43.4% | 43.1% | 5.9% | 3.4% | 1.9% | 1.4% | 0.94% |
| Jan 2026 | 42.4% | 45.1% | 5.1% | 3% | 2% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Feb 2026 | 43.5% | 43.8% | 5.2% | 3.1% | 2% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Mar 2026 | 44.5% | 42% | 4.9% | 3.6% | 2.4% | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 43.7% | 44.9% | 4.7% | 2.8% | 1.7% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| May 2026 | 46% | 41.9% | 5.1% | 2.6% | 2% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Jun 2026 | 52% | 35.3% | 5.8% | 3.3% | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 50.9% | 36.9% | 5.2% | 3.2% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 45.3% | 42.8% | 4.9% | 3.2% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Sep 2026 | 44% | 43.3% | 6.1% | 2.9% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.1% |
How has the Maui Jim and Oakley comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Oakley was ahead of Maui Jim in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Maui Jim’s share of searches among sunglasses brands in New Zealand moved from 1.9% to 1.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 590 to 480.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Oakley’s share of searches among sunglasses brands in New Zealand moved from 41% to 43.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 12.7K to 16.1K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand sunglasses brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Oakley gained share of searches among sunglasses brands in New Zealand, from 42.8% to 43.3%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Maui Jim in New Zealand fell 18.6% over 12 measured months, from 590 to 480 in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
14 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Maui Jim’s and Oakley’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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