Haaland Fever Hits Peru as 468 Newborns Receive Name of Norway Star

The growing popularity of Norwegian football star Erling Haaland has extended beyond the football pitch, with hundreds of Peruvian families naming their newborn children after the Manchester City striker following his impressive performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to figures released by Peru’s National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC), 468 newborn babies have been registered with the name “Haaland”, while another 91 children were given the full name “Erling Haaland”.

The unusual naming trend gained momentum during the World Cup as Haaland became one of the biggest attractions of the tournament, helping Norway achieve historic progress in the competition.

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The Norwegian striker’s performances, including his goalscoring displays and leadership for his national team, inspired many football fans in Peru despite the South American country not featuring at the tournament.

RENIEC spokesperson Iván Torres explained that football superstars often influence naming choices among Peruvian parents, with many choosing names associated with players they admire.

“Football stars serve as inspiration for Peruvians when registering their children with famous and distinctive names,” Torres said, adding that the number of babies named after Haaland increased particularly after Norway advanced further in the World Cup.

The naming craze followed Haaland’s remarkable World Cup campaign, where he emerged as one of Norway’s most influential players and helped the country reach a historic stage of the competition.

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Reports stated that the 25-year-old striker scored seven goals in his first four World Cup appearances, becoming one of the leading scorers of the tournament and strengthening his status as one of the world’s most recognised football figures.

The trend is not the first time Peruvian parents have named children after international football stars, as the country has previously recorded thousands of babies named after famous players from different generations.

RENIEC data showed that 33,809 Peruvians bear the name Neymar, while 3,402 people are named after Argentine legend Lionel Messi, including 292 registered with the full name “Lionel Messi.”

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The registry also recorded 1,185 people named after Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, 1,241 named after Spain’s young star Lamine Yamal, and 238 named after French forward Kylian Mbappé.

Torres noted that Peruvian authorities cannot prevent parents from choosing football-inspired names for their children as long as the names comply with legal requirements.

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