More than 500 Peruvian babies named Haaland after World Cup

More than 500 Peruvians now include the name Haaland in their official records, according to data from the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec). The surge follows Erling Haaland's standout performance for Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he scored seven goals before his team was eliminated in the quarter-finals Source: euronewses. Although Peru did not qualify for the tournament, the country has embraced the Norwegian striker as a cultural icon.

The Haaland numbers

Reniec figures show 468 people have Haaland as one of their given names, 91 are registered as Erling Haaland, and four carry the full name Erling Braut Haaland, which includes the player's maternal surname Source: clarin. The total of 560 individuals with Haaland in their name is reported consistently across sources Source: excelsiormx. Reniec spokesman Iván Torres joked to local media: 'Haaland also is Peruvian' Source: euronewses.

Other football-inspired names

Haaland is far from the only footballer inspiring Peruvian parents. The most popular football-related names are Griezmann (1,502) and Lamine Yamal (1,241) , reflecting the impact of both established stars and emerging talents Source: infobae. Other notable counts include: Salah (319), Mbappé (238), Pedri (175), Neuer (139), Bellingham (125), and Lewandowski (106) Source: clarin. Even comparative rarities appear, such as eight newborns named 'Dibu' (after goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez) and one named 'Bicho' (a nickname for Cristiano Ronaldo) Source: infobae.

While Haaland has become a major trend, legendary figures still dominate overall: Neymar leads with 33,809 namesakes, followed by Lionel Messi (3,402) and Cristiano Ronaldo (1,185) Source: euronewses. The World Cup continues to leave a lasting imprint on Peru's civil registry, where a memorable tournament performance can immortalize a player in birth certificates for generations.