Neymar and Kylian Spark Baby Name Trend in South America

Across South America, many babies are being named Kylian and Neymar. These kids will follow the stars at the World Cup starting on Thursday.

Next year, parents might choose names like Lamine (Yamal, Spain), Ousmane (Dembele, France), Harry (Kane, England), or Vitinha (Portugal), depending on who shines.

In Ecuador, where the World Cup is a big deal, parents are not naming their kids after local stars like Kendry Paez or Willian Pacho, who has won the Champions League twice with Paris Saint-Germain.

Instead, Brazil’s Neymar, who is playing in his fourth and possibly last World Cup, is the most popular name with 3,847 children sharing it. This info comes from the country’s civil registry.

Kylian Mbappe, the star who helped France win the 2018 World Cup in Russia, follows closely with over 2,800 children named after him. James (Rodriguez, Colombia’s captain) is third with 2,136 kids named after him.

Argentine and Portuguese legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo also have a strong presence in Ecuador. The country has 1,549 little Lionels, 38 Messis, 178 Cristianos, and 1,006 Ronaldos.

In Colombia, the trend is different. Here, 836 children are named Kylian or Mbappe, while 269 are named Neymar and 220 are either Cristianos or Ronaldos, according to 2022 data.

In Brazil, Neymar is a big influence too. In his home country, 2,443 kids are named after him, based on a 2022 census. He has played in three World Cups, which adds to his popularity.

Brazil also has a soft spot for Kylian or Killian, with over 400 children named after him.

In football-loving Argentina, the name Lionel peaked in 2023 after Messi led the country to its third World Cup title. But since then, the name's popularity has dropped.

In Chile, a family grabbed headlines before the 2022 World Cup. They welcomed a baby named Griezmann Mbappe after France’s former striker and current star forward.

This little Griezmann has a unique family. His brother is named James Modric, mixing James Rodriguez and Luka Modric. His cousins include an Andres Iniesta (the famous former Spain midfielder), a Leonel Messi, and a Neymar Ronaldo.