Erling Haaland. [Reuters]
Erling Haaland. [Reuters]

In the wake of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, 468 newborns in Peru have been registered with the name Haaland.

A representative of Peru's National Civil Registry (Reniec) told local broadcaster Panamericana TV last week that "Haaland is now Peruvian, too," according to CNN, Reuters and other international media outlets. The remarks were made Sunday (local time).

The official went on to say that "famous football stars always inspire people to give their children famous and unique names." At least one newborn was also registered under the name "Mundial" — the Spanish word for World Cup. Under Peruvian regulations, parents are free to name their children as they wish, as long as the name is not offensive or inappropriate.

Norwegian striker Erling Haaland scored seven goals in the tournament, including two against Brazil.

Peruvian statistics show that naming children after footballers is a longstanding tradition.

There are 3,402 people named Messi in Peru, 292 of whom are registered as "Lionel Messi." Cristiano Ronaldo accounts for 1,185, Yamal for 1,241, and Mbappe for 238. Neymar leads the count at 33,809.

In Mexico, which co-hosted the World Cup alongside the United States and Canada, a photo of a birth certificate went viral on social media. The girl's name was listed as "Quiñona Isicidra Morita Haaland Guevara" — drawn from Mexican players Julian Quiñones and Gilberto Mora, as well as Haaland.

Fabiola Molina, who hosts the parenting podcast "Sin manual para padres" (No Manual for Parents) in Mexico City, told Reuters that when the Backstreet Boys were popular years ago, many women named their sons Kevin and Brian — which is why names like Brian Gonzalez are common across Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

Molina added that while it is a fun phenomenon, it could harm children when they grow up. "Just because your name is Messi or Lionel doesn't mean you'll become a great footballer," she said. "Fate doesn't work that way."


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