Across South America, countless young boys named Neymar, Kylian, Lionel, Cristiano and James will be cheering on their famous football namesakes when the World Cup begins on Thursday.
And by next year, depending on who lights up the tournament, new parents could be choosing names such as Lamine, after Spain sensation Lamine Yamal, Ousmane for France winger Ousmane Dembele, Harry in honour of England captain Harry Kane, or Vitinha following Portugal’s midfield star.
In Ecuador, preparing for its fifth World Cup appearance, the most common football-inspired names are not linked to homegrown talents like Kendry Paez or Paris Saint-Germain defender Willian Pacho.
Instead, Brazil legend Neymar, set for what is expected to be his fourth and final World Cup, remains the country’s most influential football name, with 3,847 children sharing it, according to figures released Wednesday by Ecuador’s civil registry.
France captain Kylian Mbappe ranks second, with more than 2,800 Ecuadorian children carrying his name after the forward inspired Les Bleus to World Cup glory in 2018.
Colombia captain James Rodriguez follows in third place with 2,136 namesakes.
The impact of Argentine icon Lionel Messi and Portuguese great Cristiano Ronaldo is also reflected in Ecuador’s records.
The country has 1,549 children named Lionel, 38 named Messi, 178 Cristianos and 1,006 Ronaldos.
In Colombia, however, Kylian and Mbappe lead the way, with 836 children bearing either name, ahead of 269 Neymars and 220 Cristianos or Ronaldos, according to 2022 data.
Neymar’s popularity is equally strong in Brazil, where 2,443 children were named after the forward who has featured prominently in three World Cup campaigns, based on findings from a 2022 census.
Brazilian parents have also shown admiration for Mbappe, with more than 400 children named Kylian or Killian.
Meanwhile, in football-obsessed Argentina, the name Lionel surged in popularity in 2023 following Messi’s role in securing the nation’s third World Cup title in Qatar, although its appeal has eased slightly since then.
In Chile, one family drew widespread attention ahead of the 2022 World Cup after naming their newborn Griezmann Mbappe, combining the names of France stars Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe.
The child was not the only football-inspired name in the family. His brother was named James Modric, a blend of James Rodriguez and Luka Modric, while cousins included Andres Iniesta, Leonel Messi and Neymar Ronaldo.
