Peruvian Parents Name Babies After World Cup Star Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland's Impact on Newborn Names in Peru

In a remarkable tribute, parents in Peru are naming their newborns after Erling Haaland, the celebrated forward who has captured the world's attention during the World Cup. The surge in popularity of the striker is evident, with the national identification registry in Peru reporting a significant number of babies registered with his name. Haaland has made headlines by scoring seven goals in five matches, including two in Norway's historic win over Brazil. This year marked a milestone for Norway as they reached the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time, although they were eventually defeated by England with a score of 2-1. His impact extends beyond the pitch.

New Naming Trend Inspired by Haaland

According to Peru's identity registry, there have been 91 births officially recorded with the name Erling Haaland, while 468 infants have been given Haaland as their surname. Ivan Torres, a spokesperson for the registry, noted that the majority of these registrations occurred shortly after the World Cup commenced, with a notable increase as Norway progressed to the quarterfinals. 'Various football stars inspire Peruvians to name their children after them. Haaland is also considered a Peruvian,' Torres shared with Panamericana Television.

Peru's Tradition of Naming Children After Football Stars

Peruvian parents have a long-standing tradition of naming their children after prominent football figures, and this trend continues with Haaland. Currently, there are 3,402 individuals in Peru named Messi, with 292 registered under the full name Lionel Messi. Additionally, 1,185 people are named after Cristiano Ronaldo, and 1,241 bear the name of Lamine Yamal. However, the most popular football-inspired name in Peru remains that of Brazilian legend Neymar, with 33,809 individuals sharing his name. Upon their return to Norway, the football team was welcomed as heroes, with around 90,000 fans gathering in Oslo. Crown Prince Haakon, heir to Norway's throne, led the celebrations, having also attended the match against England in Miami. Haaland gained further attention on social media after he was spotted disembarking from a plane with a plush raccoon and a glass bottle of wine.