Pele’s Real Name And What Does His Nickname Mean?

Pele’s Real Name And What Does His Nickname Mean?

The Brazilian legend’s real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, but as a small child, he was given the moniker Pele.

The football world came together to pay their respects to one of the most recognizable players to ever play the game when Pele tragically passed away on December 29 at the age of 82 following a protracted battle with cancer.

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What was the Brazilian legend’s full name and how did the moniker “Pele” come to be? It may come as a surprise to some that he wasn’t actually given the name Pele at birth.

Pele’s real name?

When Pele was born in 1940, his parents gave him the name Edson Arantes do Nascimento in honor of the scientist Thomas Edison.

The Brazilian icon previously told the Guardian that he was pleased to be named after Thomas Edison and did not like the moniker Pele.

“I thought Pele sounded horrible. It was a rubbish name. Edson sounded so much more serious and important.”

Where did the nickname ‘Pele’ come from?

The three-time World Cup champion admitted that while he’s not quite sure why he was given the nickname Pele, he has a reasonable understanding of its genesis.

He said, “I can remember the name really bugged me at first. I was really proud that I was named after Thomas Edison and wanted to be called Edson.”

Due to his “heavy Minas Gerais accent,” Pele recalls how he used to pronounce the name of Bile, a goalie at Vasco de Sao Lourenco where his father played, as Pile instead of Bile.

Once a student started referring to him as Pele, the term caught on and is now well-known worldwide.

Pele also acknowledged that, although he initially had not been fond of his nickname, he had come to accept it with time.

And he said: “I became Pele as a result of that goaltender Bilé and a classmate’s small joke. Now that it is widely recognized, I don’t mind it as much.”