Top Google searches of the year: Bain, Tua, Boyle, Jackson

David Bain ranked highest among Kiwis searched for on Google. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Facebook, Bain, swine flu, Twilight and toll roads captured Kiwi imaginations this year as Google reveals the most searched terms of 2009.

The most searched-for terms New Zealanders typed into google.co.nz during 2009 give an insight into our culture.

David Bain was the most searched for New Zealander, narrowly beating David Tua. Rugby league star Sonny Fai, swept out to sea in January, was the third most searched Kiwi, and Rachel Whitwell, the Auckland teacher who posed nude for Penthouse, was in fourth place.

Holiday traffic is obviously top of mind, not just at Christmas but all year round, as "toll road" - presumably referring to the new SH1 toll road north of Auckland - tops the fastest-rising web search list.

The top news searches were swine flu, Susan Boyle's rise to fame and the retrial of David Bain.

Interest from sci-fi fans resulted in the films Star Trek, 2012, Avatar, District 9 and Halo taking five of the top 10 spots for the most searched movies.

But the Twilight phenomenon dominates with New Moon and Twilight the first and second most searched movies.

Twilight-related terms also appear in four other categories - Fastest Rising, What Is, Who Is and Popular Celebrities.

When it comes to head-to-head comparisons, Outrageous Fortune loses out to Shortland Street in the battle of local TV. Michael Laws beats Rodney Hide in the most searched controversial politician stakes.

Despite a peak in popularity after their World Cup qualifying match in November, the All Whites were beaten by the All Blacks.

Social networking site Facebook was the most searched for term overall. It was a new entrant into the annual Most Popular Top 10.

Most searched for New Zealanders
1.David Bain
2.David Tua
3.Sonny Fai
4.Rachel Whitwell
5.Gin Wigmore
6.Erin Simpson
7.John Key
8.Gareth Morgan
9.Trelise Cooper
10.Dan Carter

Fastest rising web searches
1. toll road
2. melbourne cup 2009
3. bnz.co.nz login
4. jetstar nz
5. twitter
6. new moon
7. sonny fai
8. bruno
9. tv3 on demand
10. sella.co.nz

Fastest rising news searches
1. swine flu
2. susan boyle
3. bain
4. new moon
5. tsunami
6. robert pattinson
7. michael jackson
8. rihanna
9. facebook
10. chris brown