Expecting parents are taking a stab at it — quite literally.
Villains, criminals, and menacing figures might be notorious in society, but surprisingly, their first names are becoming quite popular choices for expecting parents, according to a new unsettling report.
Names inspired by infamous figures like the alleged fraudster Anna Delvey and notorious killer Ted Bundy are increasingly being selected for babies, as noted in the Top 100 Baby Names of 2025 by BabyCentre UK.
But the bloodcurdling trend has less to do with wrongdoer-worship and more to do with Hollywood’s outlaw obsession.
SJ Strum, a BabyCentre naming expert and author, clarified in a statement, “These names aren’t picked due to their association with crime. Rather, parents often unconsciously absorb elements of popular culture, and these names find their way into their minds through engaging TV shows, podcasts, and viral media.”
“It’s a fascinating lens on how culture shapes language, and by extension, baby names,” she added.
Nursery rhymes and true crime. The killer kiddos of Generation Beta — tots born this year and beyond — can blame the theme on the streams.
Streaming platforms, like Netflix, have recently made a killing off of shows, documentaries and movies that spotlight salacious sins of notorious rouges. Think Zac Efron as Bundy in 2019 flick “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” Joe Exotic’s story in 2020 series “Tiger King” and Delvey’s “Inventing Anna”-inspired thriller in 2022.
In a number of cases, the cinematic sneak peek into the lives of the offenders has offered audiences a new perspective on the men and women behind the crimes, humanizing the antiheroes as misunderstood martyrs.
And the names currently flooding the maternity are living proof of the media’s freaky influence.
Here are the true crime-inspired monikers featured in BabyCentre’s top 100 baby names for 2025.
- Anna – The “Fake Heiress” Anna Delvey
- Arthur – Arthur Lee Allen, “This is the Zodiac Speaking,” suspected Zodiac Killer
- Bella – Inspired by wellness scammer, Belle Gibson
- Erin – Erin Patterson, The Mushroom Killer
- Freddie & Rose – The story of serial killer couple Fred and Rose West, featured in Netflix’s “Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story”
- Joseph – A nod to ‘Joe Exotic’, Tiger King
- Luca – From the documentary “Don’t F** with Cats”
- Teddy – A nickname inspired by serial killer Ted Bundy
