Parents across Latin America have turned World Cup stars into baby names, with Peru recording a surge in newborns named after Norway striker Erling Haaland and Argentina reporting a rise in boys named Lionel, Enzo and Emiliano before the final.
Ivan Torres, a spokesperson for Peru’s civil registry RENIEC, said hundreds of newborns now carry Haaland’s name. Registrations linked to Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo each total around 30,000.
“Haaland is now Peruvian too,” Torres said. He added that one child had even received the name “Mundial”, the Spanish word commonly used for the World Cup.
Peru failed to qualify for the tournament, but Norway’s run captured the imagination of many supporters across the region. Fans whose own nations exited the competition or failed to qualify shifted their support to the Scandinavian side and its leading striker.
Mexico also produced one of the tournament’s more unusual stories. A birth certificate shared on social media showed a baby girl named Quiñona Ysisidra Morita Haaland Guevara, combining references to Mexican players Julián Quiñones and Gilberto Mora with Haaland’s surname. Mexican authorities did not immediately verify the document.
In Argentina, local authorities in Salta said Enzo, Emiliano and Lionel became the province’s most popular boys’ names in the week before the World Cup final. The names match Argentina internationals Enzo Fernández, Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez and captain Lionel Messi.
Fabiola Molina, host of the Mexico City podcast Sin Manual para Padres, said the trend stretches back decades.
“A few years ago when the Backstreet Boys were popular, many women were naming their sons Kevin and Brian.”
She added: “It’s funny, but it could also be prejudicial to children when they grow up. Just because your name is Messi or Lionel, it doesn’t mean you’ll grow up to be a good soccer player, destiny won’t carve that out for you.”
