Hundreds of Newborns in Peru Named After Erling Haaland

Haaland-mania has reached unprecedented heights. The popularity of the Norwegian striker has exploded during the World Cup, and hundreds of babies in Peru have now been given the first name 'Haaland' or 'Erling Haaland'.

Peru's civil registry has announced that in recent weeks, 468 babies have been registered as 'Haaland', while 91 received the full name 'Erling Haaland'. The trend spiked particularly after his two goals against Brazil in the round of 16. Haaland has scored seven goals in the tournament so far.

Naming children after football stars is a tradition in Peru. Nearly 34,000 children are named Neymar, 3,402 are named Messi, and there are 1,241 named Yamal, 1,185 named Cristiano Ronaldo, and 23 named Mbappe.

In Peru, parents can name their baby anything they want with no restrictions. In the Netherlands, by contrast, using a surname like Haaland as a first name is not allowed unless it is already commonly used as a first name.

The number of little Haalands in Peru is expected to grow further. Today Norway plays England in the quarterfinals, a historic first for the nation.