In the year 2028, kindergarteners will all be named Sam, Cortnee or Matilda.

The outpouring of love and support for the Matildas across Australia is unlike anything we have seen before. 

Not only have the Matildas players been kicking goals and showing extreme skill and athleticism on the pitch, but 'Matildas Fever' has spread to every area of our lives. 

Tickets to their games have been like gold dust as record crowds gather to cheer them on. There has been a 'record-breaking demand' for their team jersey and associated merchandise, and they have set two national TV viewing records in the last week alone.

While they may not have won the World Cup on this occasion, they have truly won the hearts of a nation.

Watch: The trailer for The Matildas documentary on Disney +. Post continues below.

So it is no great surprise to learn that not only are the Matildas inspiring kids to play soccer, watch soccer and wear soccer-related outfits, but they are also inspiring parents to give their babies Matilda-themed names.

Searches for the name 'Matilda' are up by 148 per cent on the Nameberry website.

"The name is perennially popular on Nameberry, but the achievements of the Matildas are now attracting more attention to this wonderful name," Nameberry CEO Sophie Kihm told 9Honey Parenting earlier this week.

In Australia, we currently associate the name with the iconic women's football team and the poem by Banjo Patterson, Waltzing Matilda, but its original meaning in German means 'battle mighty' which only makes it even more brilliant.

The popularity of the Roald Dahl book that became a musical and a Hollywood movie helped to elevate the name in the US, as did the late Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams, who chose the name for their daughter back in 2005. 

The overall popularity of 'Matilda' has been rising since 2017 and it is now the 14th most popular girl's name on Nameberry overall. 

Aside from an explosion in little Matildas, what other names can we expect to see arise in future classrooms across Australia thanks to the FIFA Women's World Cup? 

There are the obvious shortened versions or variations of Matilda; so Tilly, Mathilda or Tilda.

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Then there are the players' names. So many great names to choose from that many expectant parents are already researching online.

Searches for the name Sam are up by 22 per cent on Nameberry this week, Caitlin up by nine per cent, Kyah by 50 percent and searches for Cortnee are up 1000 per cent!

And what about the players' surnames as first names? 

Look no further than Kerr, Vine, Simon, Arnold, Grant, Kennedy and Raso. 

There is no doubt that the impact of these incredible women will have a long legacy and it seems as their names may be part of that.

In 2028 and 2029 there will be whole Kindergarten classrooms made up of names from this iconic team to reflect this incredible moment in our history and maybe, just maybe, there will also be a bunch of future football players as well.

Laura Jackel is Mamamia's Senior Lifestyle Family Writer. For links to her articles and to see photos of her outfits and kids, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

Feature Image: Getty.