Why Peruvians Are Naming Their Newborns After Erling Haaland?

Published 14 July 2026 · sports

Why Peruvians Are Naming Their Newborns After Erling Haaland? Published By, Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 09:47 IST So far, 468 newborns have been named

Why Peruvians Are Naming Their Newborns After Erling Haaland? Published By, Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 09:47 IST So far, 468 newborns have been named Haaland while 91 Erling Haaland as per the national identity registry of Peru Erling Haaland scored seven goals in his maiden world cup campaign. (AP Photo) Peruvian parents are celebrating Norway’s World Cup hero Erling Haaland in a memorable way – by naming their newborns after the prolific striker whose popularity has reached new heights during the marquee tournament. Peru’s national identity registry last week revealed that hundreds of babies have been registered with Haaland‘s name, reflecting the forward’s soaring popularity. Haaland has been one of the standout performers at this year’s World Cup, scoring seven goals in five matches, including a brace in Norway’s historic victory over Brazil.

Norway reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the country’s history before bowing out with a 2-1 defeat to England. His impact has extended far beyond the pitch. According to Peru’s identity registry, 468 newborns have been given the surname Haaland, while another 91 infants were registered with the full name Erling Haaland. “Different football stars serve as inspiration for Peruvians to register their children with these names," registry spokesperson Ivan Torres told Panamericana Television. Most of the registrations came in the weeks after the World Cup kicked off, Torres said, with the numbers climbing sharply as Norway advanced to the quarter-finals. “Haaland is also Peruvian," he said. The trend follows a long tradition of Peruvian parents drawing inspiration from football’s biggest stars. A total of 3,402 people in Peru bear the name Messi, including 292 registered with the full name Lionel Messi.

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has 1,185 namesakes in Peru, while 1,241 people are named Yamal after Spain star Lamine Yamal. Brazil great Neymar remains the country’s most popular football-inspired namesake by far, with 33,809 Peruvians carrying his name. Meanwhile, Norway footballers have received a hero’s welcome after returning home on Monday. Around 90,000 people welcomed back Norway’s players to Oslo. Haakon, the Crown Prince of Norway and heir apparent to the country of 5.6 million’s throne, led the celebration with a drum — he was also present at the defeat to England in Miami. Haaland landed in Norway earlier in the day and was pictured on his social media walking from the plane holding a stuffed racoon with a glass bottle of alcohol in its claws. With AFP Inputs News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Feroz Khan Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent.