Erling Haaland’s remarkable performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup are making an impact far beyond the football pitch, with hundreds of newborn babies in Peru now being named after the Norway striker.
According to Peru’s National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC), 468 newborns have been registered with the surname Haaland, while another 91 have been given the full name Erling Haaland as the Manchester City forward continues his outstanding World Cup campaign.
The naming trend comes as the 25-year-old has scored seven goals in four matches, inspiring Norway’s historic run to the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
Haaland also netted twice in Norway’s memorable victory over Brazil to seal a last-eight meeting with England.
Registry spokesperson Ivan Torres said football stars have long influenced the names Peruvian parents choose for their children.
“Different football stars serve as inspiration for Peruvians to register their children with these names,” Torres told Panamericana Television.
He added that registrations bearing Haaland’s name increased significantly after the World Cup began and rose even further following Norway’s qualification for the quarter-finals.
“Haaland is also Peruvian,” Torres joked.
Football-inspired names have become increasingly popular in Peru over the years.
Registry figures show that 3,402 Peruvians bear the name Messi, including 292 with the full name Lionel Messi.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has 1,185 namesakes in the country, while Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has inspired 1,241 people to bear the name Yamal.
Brazil forward Neymar remains the country’s most popular football-inspired name, with 33,809 Peruvians named after the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star.
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