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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Indonesian Census Finds Citizens Named After Anime Characters, Celebrities

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • Indonesia's census reveals citizens named after popular anime characters like Nobita, Sasuke, and Naruto, as well as international artists.
  • Uzumaki is the most common anime-inspired name, while Justin Bieber is the most frequent celebrity name used.
  • The country's total population has reached over 290 million, with Nurhayati as the most common female first name and Putri as the most common surname.

Census data from Indonesia reveals a surprising trend: a notable number of citizens bear names inspired by popular Japanese anime characters and global music stars. The Ministry of Home Affairs' Director General of Population and Civil Registration, Teguh Setyabudi, shared these findings during a coordination meeting in Jakarta.

Among the anime-inspired names, Uzumaki leads with 190 residents, followed closely by Nobita (181), Sasuke (158), and Naruto (157). These names, popularized by series like "Naruto" and "Doraemon," have found a unique place in Indonesia's population registry.

There are people named Nobita, Uzumaki, Sasuke, and Naruto.

— Teguh SetyabudiDirector General of Population and Civil Registration revealing census findings on anime-inspired names.

Beyond anime, the database includes a significant number of individuals named after international celebrities. Canadian singer Justin Bieber is the most common among these, with 18,551 residents bearing his name. American singers Ariana Grande (15,281) and Olivia Rodrigo (142,000) also feature prominently, alongside Taylor Swift (153).

There are also 142,000 people named Olivia Rodrigo.

— Teguh SetyabudiDirector General of Population and Civil Registration revealing census findings on celebrity-inspired names.

Indonesia's total population now stands at 290,125,073. The census also highlighted demographic details such as Generation Z individuals born under the Cancer zodiac sign forming the largest group, and 129,439 people born on leap day, February 29. Nurhayati remains the most common female first name, while Putri is the most widely used surname, with Sulastri being the top surname in Java.

During the meeting, Teguh Setyabudi reported that 3,639,244 birth certificates were issued in the first semester of 2026. He urged the public to maintain civic discipline, emphasizing the importance of registering newborns to ensure they receive essential services and identification, such as a child identity card (KIA) and a national identification number (NIK).

With a birth certificate, a child will receive a KIA (child identity card). Their data will include a NIK (population identification number), and with this NIK, they will receive better access to public services and support.

— Teguh SetyabudiDirector General of Population and Civil Registration stressing the importance of birth registration.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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