Husband Refuses to Let Wife Name Their Son After Notorious Serial Killer

Most parents will agree that finding the right name for their child is one of the most important decisions that they contemplate throughout the pregnancy. You spend time reading every. single. name in the 100,000+ Baby Name Book and seeing how it sounds with your surname, and then have to think about possible nicknames kids might come up with for them at school. It’s a big deal, right?

With this in mind, it may come as a surprise that one soon-to-be mama is considering a name for her unborn son that coincidentally matches that of a notorious serial killer. Her husband took to the popular Reddit forum AmItheasshole to share his predicament and ask for advice on the situation.

My wife Melissa (31F) and I (31M) have been married for 4 years. Melissa is 8 months pregnant with our son. Melissa and I both use my last name (she changed hers to mine legally), as she does not want to be associated with her last name as she has a lot of trouble with her parents.

Unfortunately, our last name is Manson. As in Charles Manson. It really sucks but it’s what I have. Neither of us have ever had a problem with that until now. A few weeks ago her brother unexpectedly passed away of a heart attack at the age of 35. We were both shocked and devasted. He was a great man who was always healthy, and we were very close to him. Nobody saw it coming. He left behind his wife and three kids.

Melissa now wants to name our son after her brother. I would not have any issue with this, if her brother’s name wasn’t Charles.

Ah…yes, we see the issue now! Eeeek!

I told her I was not okay with naming our child Charles Manson, and she insisted that nobody would notice or care. She is calling me an asshole for disrespecting her brother like that. (Note that her brother’s last name was not Manson, that is mine and Melissa’s last name).

So, should I let this go and just name our son after a guy who has been so important in Melissa’s life? I really do not want our kid to have to go through life having the same name as a serial killer. Imagine how hard it would be to get a job.

Judging by the comments section, it’s pretty safe to say that everyone would notice, and we think Mr Manson has good cause to be concerned about giving his son this particular moniker. Whilst it is clear his wife is grieving for her lost brother, would it really be fair to saddle a child with a name synonymous with such evil, for the rest of his life?

It sucks because I understand the wife wanting to honor her brother. But, ultimately, that kid is going to be stuck with the name that will conjure associations with a serial killer and may give the impression that the parents admire him. Name discrimination (as much as it sucks) is a thing that the kid is going to have to deal with, not to mention the teasing from peers. – HelloJustSaying

Naming kids is always a Two Yes/One No situation. If either person objects, that’s the end of it. – Dereksalem

When people name their kid after someone famous it’s generally because they were fans of theirs or admired them (co-worker named his kid Dale after Dale Earnhardt). This will just look really bad and fucked up. I can’t imagine having to explain this the rest of my life and I would honestly hate my parents for doing this to me. – Midlife_Crisis_46

I remember there was a thread like this a whole back where the kid was going to get named (essentially) Ted Bundy, so I will say what I did then – I have a friend who has a name similar to a serial killer, and it has been an embarrassment his whole life and really annoying for him.

You could use the brother’s middle name, the same letter, the same meaning but a different language, or lots of other options. Even making Charles a middle name wouldn’t be quite so bad. But remember you are naming a human who has to live their life, not a walking memorial to your BIL. – MrsMaiselsBrisket

She’s grieving and exhausted, which means it’s a really bad time for her to make a rash decision like this. She’s not thinking clearly, she’s just reacting to her pain.

You didn’t have another name decided on before this point in time? I’d revert back to that if so. Everyone knows Charles Manson and he will continue to be prominent in pop culture, you’re doing your kid a favor by refusing. – zephyrseija

Whilst our heart goes out to this woman, we think that her husband would be right to die on this hill and prevent his wife from giving his unborn child the name of a monster.

What do you think? Is there a compromise that can be made here? Whilst Charlie Manson might still be too close for comfort, is there an alternative that could keep everyone happy?