To have a thing against baby names/names that are also those of serial killers?

[fairybeagle]

I am due a baby soon. I am finding names very hard this time. I really liked the name Fred/Freddie (would be Frederick) and the name Ted/Teddy (Edward). But now I've got something weird in my head where all I can think about is people like Feed West or Ted Bundy and there are other names too.
Am I completely mental/unreasonable?

I'm sort of blaming hormones..

Freddie brings to my mind Freddie Prinz Junior or Freddie Mercury. So not that bad at all.

Ruth (Ellis)
John (Christie)

I think of Freddie Mercury, Fred Astaire and Teddy Roosevelt and many others. A serial killer wouldn't be my first reference personally!

My friend is a primary teacher and had a Rose west in her class a few years ago

I wouldn’t instantly think Fred and think Fred West

I get what you mean. I ruled out Eva and Ava because with my surname, it would have sounded similar to Hitler’s wife (I’m a bit of a history nerd).

Reggie makes me smile because of Reginald Perrin
Reggie & Ronnie are fine, but not for siblings

I have a Rose. Literally no one ever has even alluded to Rose West, and I’d actually never even thought of it myself. It usually is well received on the baby name board here, too.

There are lots of Teds and Freddies around. I’m sure the peers of current and future young Teds and Freddie’s won’t know or think of the association. The names are just too common so it’s not surprising that some bad people will have been called them too.

My first thought for Freddie is Mercury.

@Babybel90

I don’t think it’s a big deal with Fred or Ted but if you wanted to call your baby Myra or Adolf you might raise a few eyebrows!

LOL!

@fairybeagle YABU! Freddy reminds me of Freddy Gruger though (not Fred West.)

A few names may have obvious connotations, but most won't.

I know a couple of lads called Leo, and instantly think DiCaprio, and one called Harrison (named after Mr Ford!) But both are good actors and OK people. Also know a lass who just had a boy and called him Roman, (after Martin Kemp's lad Roman Kemp,) and he seems really nice. But I would never call a kid Adolf, Stalin, or Genghis.

And as @ThighThighOfthigh said, I would not use Hannibal! (Although my first thought was Hannibal Smith from the A team!)

Fred and Ted are fine!

You could name your child and a year later someone with that name could be convicted of being a serial killer. Not much you could do then.
You’re probably overthinking this a bit.

*maybe I can change my association to Fred Weasley [...] Charlie is on the list but doesn't bother me

Charlie is the best Weasley!

Not gonna lie.

I am glad I never called my DC Rolf or Jimmy.

@ThighThighOfthigh DS has a friend called Atilla. I think 'the hun' every time he talks about him.

I agree with @sarahjconnor ^

@WooMaWang Atilla? PMSL!

@ThighThighOfthigh Vlad makes me think of Vlad the Drac

Personally I would find Herod a bit difficult to live with but each to their own.

I think Fred/Ted/Jack/Beverley/Ian etc are unlikely to raise eyebrows with others, but if I did associate those names with evil people, I probably couldn't call my child those names because I would think of it every time I said their name.
Adolph/Genghis etc would probably not be OK!

I teach a Vlad and have never associated him with the impaler 😂
I will now

I have a Freddie but he's named after Freddie Mercury 😁

Ted makes me think of that potty mouthed teddy bear.

LOL at "Hindley"
I went to school there, so it will always be a run down area of Wigan to me.
Wouldnt call a child that.
I hate the name Fred/Freddie, I think it's the "ed" sound.

@WooMaWang Atilla? PMSL! grin

I worked with an Attila briefly. It is a very common and popular name in Hungary and some other Eastern European countries.

After the Shipman case, I remember reading that Harold had dropped in popularity. Whenever I hear Maxine, I think of Maxine Carr.

Maggie has started to be used again, here in Liverpool. People start to change the connotations.

Unless your surname is West or Bundy I think you're ok with Fred and Ted
Agreed

My surname actually is the surname of a famous serial killer. I have to avoid names which sounds anything like, or rhyme with, the killers first name. Beyond that I don't think many people would make an association from a first name to a serial killer (unless that killer had a very unusual name!)

For example, Fred is a fairly common name. I wouldn't assume that people's first leap would be to Fred West. Why bot Fred Astaire, Freddie Mercury, Fred Flintstone

Ian....such an innocuous name. So many bad examples.