Erling Haaland’s remarkable performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have inspired hundreds of Peruvian parents to name their newborn children after the Norway striker.

According to Peru’s national identity registry, 468 babies have been registered with the surname Haaland, while another 91 have been given the full name Erling Haaland, following the 25-year-old’s impressive World Cup campaign.

Haaland has scored seven goals in four matches, helping Norway reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the country’s history. He also netted both goals in Norway’s historic victory over Brazil to secure a last-eight clash with England.

Registry spokesperson Ivan Torres said football stars have long influenced naming trends in Peru.

“Different football stars serve as inspiration for Peruvians to register their children with these names,” Torres told Panamericana Television.

He added that most of the registrations occurred after the World Cup began, with numbers rising significantly following Norway’s qualification for the quarter-finals. Joking about the trend, Torres remarked, “Haaland is also Peruvian.”

Football-inspired names are common in Peru. Official registry data shows that 3,402 people are named Messi, including 292 with the full name Lionel Messi. Another 1,185 Peruvians bear the name Cristiano Ronaldo, while 1,241 are named Yamal after Spain’s teenage star Lamine Yamal.

Brazilian forward Neymar remains the country’s most popular football-inspired name, with 33,809 Peruvians carrying his name.