Indonesia: Hundreds of citizens legally named after anime characters

Official data from Indonesia’s Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) reveals that hundreds of citizens are legally named after popular Japanese anime and manga characters. This trend highlights the deep cultural influence of Japanese animation within the nation.

According to the registry, 347 people are officially named Uzumaki or Naruto. Other notable names include 181 individuals named Nobita, 158 named Sasuke, 152 named Uchiha, and 79 named D. Luffy from the series ‘One Piece’. The data also shows smaller numbers of citizens named Boruto, Shinchan, Usopp, Inuyasha, and Doraemon.

Officials noted that while these numbers are small relative to Indonesia’s total population of approximately 280 million, they represent a unique intersection of global pop culture and local naming traditions. The registry also highlighted other common naming patterns, such as names derived from national heroes, colors, and occupations.