ɪt mˈeɪ biː nˈeɪmd ˈæftɚ ɹˈɪtʃɚd wˈɪtfɚd, ɐ mˈæn hˌuː ˈɑːpɚɹˌeɪɾᵻd ɐ flˈæks mˈɪl ɔnðə weɪkˈɑːpjuːə nˌɪɹ hˈaʊsənz kɹˈiːk ænd wʌzðə pˈoʊstmən.
It may be named after Richard Whitford, a man who operated a flax mill on the Waikopua near Housons Creek and was the postman.