New Parents Are Naming Their Kids After Serial Killers

Parents have always pulled baby name ideas from pop culture. But this year’s trends are taking a darker turn, straight out of your favorite true crime docuseries.

According to BabyCentre UK’s Top 100 Baby Names of 2025, names like Ted (as in Bundy), Anna (as in Delvey), and even Rose (as in West) are gaining popularity. And no, it’s not because people want to honor convicted killers. It’s because streaming platforms have turned real-life criminals into household names.

As baby name expert SJ Strum explains, “These names aren’t being chosen because of crime. More often, parents are unconsciously absorbing popular culture, and these names creep into our minds via gripping TV, podcasts, and viral content.”

The surge makes a lot more sense when you look at what’s dominating Netflix and every true crime podcast feed. Zac Efron played Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Anna Delvey’s fake heiress saga became a full-blown streaming hit with Inventing Anna. Fred and Rose West were the focus of A British Horror Story. Even scammers like Belle Gibson and family abusers like Ruby Franke are getting full documentaries—and somehow, their names are winding up in maternity wards.

New Parents Are Giving Their Babies Serial Killer Names

BabyCentre’s list doesn’t stop there. Joseph is seeing a boost, too, possibly thanks to Tiger King’s Joe Exotic. Freddie and Rose appear on the list together, much like the murderous couple they’re linked to. Names like Erin (as in the mushroom poisoning case of Erin Patterson), Arthur (a suspected identity of the Zodiac killer), and Luca (from the documentary Don’t F**k With Cats) are popping up as well.

I get it. It’s easy to chalk it all up to coincidence. But experts argue this is what happens when true crime becomes a staple of everyday entertainment. “It’s a fascinating lens on how culture shapes language,” Strum said, “and by extension, baby names.”

Of course, the rise of names like Luna, Nova, and Aurora suggests not every parent is pulling from the darkest corners of the internet. But when murderers, scammers, and cult figures are trending on every screen, it’s hard to keep their names from sticking. Especially when the storylines offer a warped sense of charisma or glamor.

Names used to come from saints and grandparents. Now they come from true crime reenactments. We’re a funny culture.