Doraemon on the birth certificate? For 16 Indonesians, that’s exactly what happened

Jakarta, Aug 9 — For at least 16 Indonesians, the name Doraemon is not just a reference to a beloved fictional character; it is their official name, as revealed by official population records. According to The Japan Times, an Indonesian official on social media shared this surprising fact about the deep influence of Japanese manga and anime on the country's naming habits.

Beyond Doraemon, 181 Indonesians are called Nobita, after the hapless schoolboy companion of Doraemon in the popular manga and anime series. The numbers rapidly increase when looking at the impact of characters from the Naruto series. There are 347 Indonesians registered with either Uzumaki or Naruto in their names, drawing inspiration from Naruto Uzumaki, the orange-clad hero.

Additionally, 79 people have the name D. Luffy, influenced by Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist of the One Piece series. These figures highlight the widespread impact of Japanese popular culture in Indonesia. The shift in naming trends reflects changing attitudes, with younger parents increasingly turning to characters from comic books, television, and Japan's most famous fictional worlds for inspiration, rather than strictly following traditional Indonesian names.

While many children may have been exposed to Doraemon, Naruto, or Luffy through screen time, a select few decided to adopt their names as a tribute to their fandom.