Pele, born Edison Arantes do Nascimento on October 23, 1940, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Pele played as a forward and was known for his athleticism, technique, and ability to score goals from nearly any position on the field. He won three FIFA World Cups with Brazil (1958, 1962, and 1970), becoming the first player ever to achieve this feat. Pele scored a total of 1,279 goals in his career according to official records, earning him the nickname 'O Rei do Futebol' or 'The King of Football.' After retiring from professional football in 1977, he pursued a career as an ambassador for sport and became involved in various business ventures. Pele was named by FIFA as one of the greatest players of all time in 2004.
The name Pele experienced fluctuations in popularity over the years, with peaks in 1978 and 2014, but has seen a steady increase since 2021.