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ArchivesWorld Cup football (soccer) names
Not a question at all, but certainly a factual record of the influence of a sporting event on baby names. Cross-posted to the Opinions Board.
The World Cup, held in South Africa, ended on Sunday. My local newspaper, the Pretoria News, reports:
The 2010 World Cup will be remembered for a lifetime by some of the children born at this time. True to African tradition, some children have been named for events at the time of their birth.
Among recent names recorded by nurses in KwaZulu Natal are: Offside Mchunu; Argentina Sibiya; Vuvuzela Mhlongo; England Nkosi; Soccer City Mthembu; Cameroon Vilakazi; Striker Hadebe; Italy Buthelezi; Midfielder Zwane; Denmark Ntombela; Red-card Mbatha; Brazil Khuzwayo; Coach Sibisi; France Kheswa; Goalkeeper Sithole; Parreira Mthethwa; 2010 Dlamini; Jersey Magubane; Substitute Shandu; Ball Skhakhane; Stadium Gumbi; Kick-off Shabalala; Park 'n Ride Khumalo; Half-time Hlatshwayo; Tickets Ngubane; and Kaka Zuma.
A mother who gave birth in Johannesburg shortly after the opening game at Soccer City named her daughter Fifa.
The Tebogos of Soweto called their twins Soccer City and Ke Nako (It's Time – the World Cup slogan) while the Reinhardts of Bloemfontein called their twins Bafana and Mexico.
Just for the record: Parreira was the South African coach; Kaka is a Brazilian player (but in South Africa k*k is the exact equivalent of sh*t; poor child); Ke Nako means "It's Time" and was the World Cup slogan; and the South African team is nicknamed Bafana Bafana - The Boys - and they played Mexico in the opening match.
The World Cup, held in South Africa, ended on Sunday. My local newspaper, the Pretoria News, reports:
The 2010 World Cup will be remembered for a lifetime by some of the children born at this time. True to African tradition, some children have been named for events at the time of their birth.
Among recent names recorded by nurses in KwaZulu Natal are: Offside Mchunu; Argentina Sibiya; Vuvuzela Mhlongo; England Nkosi; Soccer City Mthembu; Cameroon Vilakazi; Striker Hadebe; Italy Buthelezi; Midfielder Zwane; Denmark Ntombela; Red-card Mbatha; Brazil Khuzwayo; Coach Sibisi; France Kheswa; Goalkeeper Sithole; Parreira Mthethwa; 2010 Dlamini; Jersey Magubane; Substitute Shandu; Ball Skhakhane; Stadium Gumbi; Kick-off Shabalala; Park 'n Ride Khumalo; Half-time Hlatshwayo; Tickets Ngubane; and Kaka Zuma.
A mother who gave birth in Johannesburg shortly after the opening game at Soccer City named her daughter Fifa.
The Tebogos of Soweto called their twins Soccer City and Ke Nako (It's Time – the World Cup slogan) while the Reinhardts of Bloemfontein called their twins Bafana and Mexico.
Just for the record: Parreira was the South African coach; Kaka is a Brazilian player (but in South Africa k*k is the exact equivalent of sh*t; poor child); Ke Nako means "It's Time" and was the World Cup slogan; and the South African team is nicknamed Bafana Bafana - The Boys - and they played Mexico in the opening match.
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Replies
My fathers name is Felipe (like Felipe Melo), and he has told us not to call him Felipe until the next World Cup. Probably the popularity of this name has gone down quite a bit in Brazil because of this player (for those of you who didn't know, Felipe Melo was very violent during the World Cup and scored an auto goal).
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My kids often get Red-cards for sounding like a Vuvuzelas ;-)
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At least they aren't Substitutes ... !
Good to see you back after so long.
Good to see you back after so long.
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The Uruguayans are also naming in relation to the World Cup: Victoria Celeste, Mía Celeste and Mario Abreu. The nickname of the Uruguayan team is "Celeste" (sky-blue), because of the colour of the kit, so the combinations mean "Victory of the Uruguayan team" and "my Uruguayan team" (the gramatically correct sentence would be "mi celeste"). Abreu is the surname of one of the players.
There was the rumour that some parents had tried to register María Vuvuzela but it is not true (probably, it will finish beign a urban myth).
There was the rumour that some parents had tried to register María Vuvuzela but it is not true (probably, it will finish beign a urban myth).
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