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Over 500 babies named after Haaland after World Cup matches

Politiko 2026-07-13 12:28:00

Over 500 babies named after Haaland after World Cup matches

Erling Haaland's World Cup success has sparked an unusual phenomenon thousands of miles away from Norway. In Peru, hundreds of parents have chosen to name their children after the Norwegian forward, who has become one of the tournament's most prominent figures.

According to data from Peru's National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec), 468 newborns have been registered with the surname "Haaland", while 91 children bear the full name "Erling Haaland".

Reniec spokesman Ivan Torres said soccer stars have a huge influence on Peruvian families, who often choose unique names inspired by famous athletes.

"Haaland is also Peruvian. Big football stars serve as inspiration for people to give their children famous and unique names," Torres said.

According to him, most of the registrations were made after the start of the World Cup, especially after the historic success of Norway, which secured a place in the quarterfinals of this competition for the first time.

The 25-year-old Manchester City forward, also known as "The Android", has been one of the tournament's main protagonists. Haaland scored twice in the victory over Brazil, helping Norway make history.

But this is not the first time that football has influenced the choice of names in Peru. Official data shows that 3,402 people are named "Messi", of which 292 are registered as "Lionel Messi". Also, 1,185 people are called "Cristiano Ronaldo", 1,241 are named "Yamal", 238 are "Mbappe", while the name "Neymar" results in 33,809 people.

"We can't stop people from using these names ," Torres said, underlining the huge influence that football stars have on society.

 

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