INDIANAPOLIS — In the decade of the 2000s, when Peyton Manning led the Indianapolis Colts to the best record in the NFL over that span, parents named 24,963 boys Peyton in the United States (according to the Social Security Administration). That name, spelled with an "e", was even more popular for girls, with 27,466 Peytons.
Across central Indiana, kids of all ages are named after mom and dad's favorite Colts quarterback. A bust of Peyton Manning will be unveiled at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction Sunday. The Peyton statue stands outside Lucas Oil Stadium. But perhaps more significant is the living tribute of so many people who carry his name.
Peyton Rodebeck
Pittsboro's Peyton Rodebeck might be the first in Indiana named after Peyton Manning. Her dad loves the Tennessee Volunteers and gave his daughter the name while Manning was still in college.
"It's an honor to be named after him,” says Rodebeck, born Dec. 27, 1996. “He's a great athlete and a great person in general, so I appreciate it."
Todd Miller said he and his wife were originally thinking about Jordan for their daughter’s name. But Miller says he thought that name was too popular. Manning being drafted by the Colts meant there would be many more Peytons in central Indiana in years to come.
"When he was just getting started with the Colts, I used to make her mad,” Miller said. “When he would have a bad game, we'd call her by her middle name."
"In church, people would be talking about Peyton just using the first name,” Rodebeck recalled. “Everybody knew who Peyton was. I was like, ‘Well, that's me.’ Then I quickly realized they were not talking about me."
Peyton Clark
Peyton Clark from Ingalls, Indiana, came along July 1, 2000, before Manning's third season with the Colts. When Clark was just three or four years old, he got a photo with Manning at the Indianapolis International Airport. Manning was in a hurry and was hesitant to stop and pose for the photo. But he gladly obliged when he learned the little boy carried his name.
Clark’s mother, Betsy Miller, described the photo that her son is not sure he was old enough to remember.
"His older cousin is standing in front of Peyton,” Miller said. “He's to the side of his cousin. And he's just kind of looking away, like doesn't even know what's going on. But (Manning) was very nice to stop and do that."
"Yeah, I can tell that I didn't know what was going on at the time, but it is definitely really cool to look back on,” said Peyton, looking at the photo on his mother’s smartphone. "He's got his throwing arm on me so that was pretty cool."
Peyton Tranbarger
Peyton Tranbarger was born Aug. 14, 2010, in Indianapolis - right before Peyton's last season actually playing for the Colts.
"I love the name, but everyone always spells it wrong,” said Peyton, referring to many girls spelling Peyton with an “a” instead of an “e”.
Her dad is a Tennessee and Colts fan who was going to name his first born child Peyton with an “e” – boy or girl.
"I have to use the word hero loosely as a sports figure,” said Jerry Tranbarger. “But, man, he really made Sundays fun. You always looked forward to it. He was an awesome guy in the community, never got in trouble."
His daughter has learned more about the man she is named after working on school projects.
"I remember he made a children's hospital and that he has a brother,” said 10-year-old Peyton.
“Two brothers,” her father corrected.
Peyton Andrew Smith
Indy's Mary Smith shows her Colts devotion with a horseshoe tattoo on her shoulder. Then she named her son for two Colts quarterbacks. Her 6-year-old’s first name is Peyton, middle name Andrew – born Oct. 3, 2014, in the middle of Andrew Luck's best NFL season.
"Only certain people would get tattoos,” Smith said. “And I think he might be the only one that would be named after both of them. I mean, there's a lot of Peytons probably, right? Have you seen a Peyton Andrew? He might be the first and only."
Those four Peytons cover almost 18 years of passing on the name of the Colts number 18.