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Haalandmania Sweeps Peru: 468 Babies Registered With Star's Name
🇵🇦 Panama /Culture & Society

Haalandmania Sweeps Peru: 468 Babies Registered With Star's Name

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Hundreds of babies in Peru have been registered with the surname "Haaland" or the full name "Erling Haaland" following the footballer's success.
  • The national registry reported 468 newborns received the surname and 91 were named "Erling Haaland" in the weeks after the World Cup began.
  • This phenomenon follows similar trends where Peruvian children were named after football stars like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mbappé, and Neymar.

The global fervor for Norwegian football star Erling Haaland has reached Peru's civil registries, with hundreds of newborns registered under his name. Peru's National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec) reported that 468 infants were given the surname "Haaland," while an additional 91 were named "Erling Haaland."

According to Reniec spokesperson Iván Torres, the surge in registrations occurred in the weeks following the World Cup's commencement, particularly after Norway advanced to the quarterfinals. "Haaland is also Peruvian," Torres remarked to Panamericana Televisión, highlighting how football stars inspire parents to choose distinctive names for their children.

Haaland also is Peruvian. The great football stars serve as inspiration for Peruvians to register their children with striking and famous names.

— Iván TorresReniec spokesperson Iván Torres explained the trend of naming children after the Norwegian footballer.

This trend is not new in Peru, which has previously seen a significant number of children named after other football icons. Reniec data shows 3,402 individuals are named "Messi" (292 as "Lionel Messi"), 1,185 are named "Cristiano Ronaldo," 1,241 are named "Yamal," 238 are named "Mbappé," and a remarkable 33,809 are named "Neymar."

Torres stated that the registry cannot prohibit parents from choosing these names. The "Haalandmania" could potentially grow if Norway continues its World Cup run, as the striker is currently one of the tournament's top scorers with seven goals.

We cannot prohibit people from giving these names.

— Iván TorresReniec spokesperson Iván Torres commented on the registry's policy regarding unusual names.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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