**Rising Baby Name Trends in 2025: Are Parents Unintentionally Choosing Names Linked with Infamy?**
A new analysis of baby name trends in the UK has revealed a striking impact of modern culture on parents’ choices—sometimes with darker undertones than they may realise. According to leading baby name experts, the ever-growing obsession with true crime podcasts, television dramas, and viral documentaries is now subtly influencing the names given to newborns, with several names in the latest popularity charts sharing links with notorious criminals and scandalous personalities.
As outlined in BabyCentre UK’s Top 100 Baby Names for 2025, a number of names soaring in popularity this year have been prominent in high-profile crime series and news coverage. However, experts argue it is rarely a deliberate nod to these infamous individuals. Instead, the current media landscape is shaping our language and, inadvertently, the names given to the next generation.
SJ Strum, a baby naming consultant and author, observes that “it’s not that parents are seeking to honour criminals or villains—it’s that names heard in binge-worthy shows, addictive podcasts, or trending videos are seeping into our subconscious, appearing attractive or familiar simply through repeated cultural exposure.” This phenomenon, she notes, is a telling sign of how the stories we consume influence even the most personal decisions.
Notable names highlighted in this trend include Anna, associated with Anna Delvey of fraud fame; Arthur, reminiscent of Zodiac killer suspect Arthur Lee Allen; and Bella, echoing Belle Gibson, the infamous wellness scammer. Other names making headlines for their links to crime documentaries include Erin, inspired by the so-called “Mushroom Cook” Erin Patterson; Joseph, a nod to Joe Exotic of Tiger King notoriety; and Luca, taken from the central figure in the viral true crime docuseries *Don’t F**k with Cats*. Even Teddy, Freddie, and Rose, which have pleasant connotations for most, are fetching reminders of Ted Bundy and the Wests, while Ruby brings to mind the controversial Ruby Franke.
This trend is not confined purely to crime. The world of aristocratic drama—fuelled by popular television series such as *Succession* and *The White Lotus*—is also making an impression on Britain’s baby name ledger. Parents are increasingly drawn to names that evoke wealth, nobility, or stately intrigue, such as Amelia, Elodie, Penelope for girls, and Nathaniel, Sebastian, and Theodore for boys.
The BabyCentre report further details a surge in celestial-inspired names, partly driven by a societal fascination with all things cosmic and ethereal. Names reflecting the skies above—Luna, Nova, Aurora, and Maryam—are finding favour, representing a softer, dreamier branch of this year’s naming tree. These names transcend terrestrial concerns, drawing from mythology, astronomy, and poetic symbolism.
Simultaneously, names featuring the letters X, Y, and Z—traditionally uncommon in the UK—have been thrust into the spotlight. Names like Anaya, Ayra, Hazel, Zane, Zoe, and Zion now stand out, perhaps reflecting a collective desire for uniqueness and flair. This trend underlines the range and diversity of influences that are shaping baby names across the country.
Strum notes that name popularity is always cyclical and deeply entwined with broader trends—what’s making headlines, what’s leaving a cultural mark, and the events that bring communities together. She cites examples such as the increasing favour for names linked to the Royal Family, like Eliza, Elizabeth, Zara, Charlotte, and Archie, showing that inspiration can come from sources as varied as children’s television (Peppa Pig’s Evie) to public figures rallying national sympathy, such as Princess Kate.
Echoing this sentiment, BabyCentre’s Chief Marketing Officer, Faye Mingo, points out, “Baby names often act as a condensed record of the time in which a child is born. It’s fascinating that, in an era dominated by streaming services and internet culture, even true crime is shaping the choices families make—sometimes without them even realising it.”
As 2025 unfolds, it is evident that the names chosen for Britain’s youngest are more than mere labels—they provide a unique lens on society itself, a subtle record of shifting interests, anxieties, and aspirations. Whether the inspiration is celestial, aristocratic, or inadvertently infamous, this year’s baby names are a testament to the power of culture in shaping the everyday choices of parents across the nation.