15 Celebrities With Serial Killer Names

While these celebrities might be perfectly nice people (or not, as the case may be!), they were all unfortunate enough to have been given names that would fit right in alongside the names of famous serial killers like John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer.

1. William H. Macy

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Actor/director William Hall Macy Jr. built a career playing middle-American, everyman-type characters in beloved independent films such as Fargo, but he has also branched out into writing and directing. Macy faced controversy in 2019 when his wife, Felicity Huffman, was sentenced to 14 days in federal prison for her bribing their daughter's way into college. Oops!

Luckily, Macy has been able to maintain a mostly positive public image throughout the scandal, perhaps thanks to his long film career and his role as a national ambassador for the United Cerebral Palsy Association.

Unfortunately, William H. Macy's name is quite reminiscent of one of the most notorious serial killers of all time-- John Wayne Gacy. They even rhyme! William also happens to be a common name among serial killers, such as William Bonin, also known as "The Freeway Killer." For these reasons, Macy takes the number one spot on this list.

2. Ted Danson

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Edward Bridge Danson III is an American actor who has appeared in a number of popular television series since he began acting in 1975. Two of his most famous roles were on NBC sitcoms (Sam Malone in Cheers and Michael in The Good Place) but he has many more credits to his name.

Danson is an outspoken environmentalist and was formerly vegan, though he now adheres to a pescatarian diet. In 2019 he was arrested and charged alongside actress Jane Fonda at a climate change protest.

He also unfortunately happens to share a first name with Ted Bundy, the infamous serial killer who was executed in 1989. Additionally, his last name rhymes with Manson, as in Charles Manson. While Manson may not technically be classified as a serial killer, he was the mastermind behind a series of murders in the 60s and is among the most famous criminals in American history.

Ted Danson seems like one of those celebrities who is a genuinely nice guy, but that doesn't stop him from having a name that sounds like the moniker of a serial killer.

3. Jeff Bezos

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Born Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen, the founder and CEO of Amazon (and subject of two (!) Bo Burnham songs) was named the "richest man in modern history" with a net worth exceeding $200 billion. He now has plans to step down from his role as CEO and fly to space in July 2021.

One doesn't become the richest person on Earth without controversy, and it is not surprising that many criticisms have been leveled against Bezos' business practices and leadership style. Bezos has been criticized for his lack of charitable donations compared to other billionaires, as well as the poor working conditions in Amazon warehouses across the country.

He takes the third spot on this list, however, thanks to his name. He shares a first name with another of the most infamous serial killers in American history, Jeffrey Dahmer— a cannibal who was convicted of 15 murders in 1992. His name is also reminiscent of that of Jerry Brudos, a serial killer in the 60s known as "The Lust Killer."

4. Haley Joel Osment

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Haley Joel Osment began acting as a child in beloved movies like Forrest Gump and The Sixth Sense, but he has continued to have a prolific career, both in traditional film and television and as a voice actor in video games and animated shows.

In 2006, Osment pleaded no contest to driving under the influence of alcohol and misdemeanor drug possession, but the actor was able to avoid prison time by serving probation and attending an alcohol rehabilitation and education program.

Osment takes his place on this list due to his name's similarity with that of Lee Harvey Oswald, the former U.S. Marine who assassinated United States president John F. Kennedy and then killed Dallas police officer J. D. Tippit in 1963. While Oswald doesn't fit the exact definition of a serial killer, he is about as notorious as many of the other killers mentioned on this list.

5. Wayne Gretzky

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Wayne Douglas Gretzky became a huge name in sports during his twenty seasons with the National Hockey League between 1979 and 1999. At the time of his retirement, he held a whopping 61 NHL records.

As a non-resident citizen of Canada, Gretzky garnered criticism during the 2015 Canadian federal election campaign for his endorsement of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Nevertheless, he has continued to use his celebrity to endorse political candidates.

Wayne is another name that appears often in lists of serial killers, putting Gretzky high up on this list. Beside John Wayne Gacy, other serial killers named Wayne include Stephen Wayne Anderson, Wayne Adam Ford and Wayne Williams.

6. Gary Busey

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William Gary Busey is an American actor and musician. He has appeared in a number of celebrated films, including Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Lost Highway. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Buddy Holly in the film The Buddy Holly Story.

In 1996 Busey publicly announced his Christian faith, citing his 1995 cocaine overdose as an event that bolstered his faith. He appeared on the second season of VH1's Celebrity Rehab in 2008.

Unfortunately for Busey, both his first and middle names are common among serial killers. He shares the name Gary with the serial killer known as "The Green River Killer": Gary Ridgway. Is it possible that Ridgway killed over 90 victims over the 16 years he was active.

7. Harvey Keitel

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American actor and producer Harvey Keitel is a go-to actor for some of Hollywood's top directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese. He has appeared in such classic films as Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, and Pulp Fiction.

Keitel has mostly kept his personal life hidden away from the public eye, but in 1993 he was involved in a prolonged custody battle with his ex-wife over his daughter.

Keitel also happens to share a first name with a serial killer known as "The Lonely Hearts Killer." Harvey Glatman was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and was executed at San Quentin State Prison in 1959.

8. David Lynch

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David Keith Lynch is one of the most important directors in modern American film, but he is also a musician, artist and writer. His first feature film, Eraserhead, was a breakout success, and since then he has directed a large number of surrealist and off-beat films such as Inland Empire and Mulholland Drive.

He gained further acclaim with his TV series Twin Peaks, which follows an investigation, headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, into the murder of a teenage girl in the fictional town of Twin Peaks, Washington. Lynch himself had a recurring role in the series as Bureau Chief Gordon Cole.

He takes a spot toward the middle of this list thanks to his name. David is a very common name, so it's unsurprising that it's the first name of a large number of serial killers. These include David Carpenter, David Berkowitz, David Bullock, David Alan Gore, David Mason, David Edward Maust, David Meirhofer, and David Dowler. The fact that Lynch's last name literally means "kill" doesn't help either.

9. Waylon Jennings

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It's not just actors and directors who can sometimes have serial killer names. Waylon Arnold Jennings was a hugely influential country musician, and is best known as one of the pioneers of country music's Outlaw Movement.

Jennings became addicted to amphetamines while living with Johnny Cash in the 60s. He was arrested in 1977 for conspiracy and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. By the 80s, Jennings was reportedly spending $1,500 a day to maintain his cocaine habit.

Jennings was also unlucky enough to share a last name with the serial killer known as "The Ditchbank Killer." Wilbur Lee Jennings was sentenced to death in 1986 for 4 murder convictions.

10. Ted Cruz

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Senator Rafael Edward Cruz ran for President of the United States in 2016, placing second behind Donald Trump in the Republican primaries.

A popular meme, circulated online, suggests facetiously that Ted Cruz is the unidentified serial killer known as "The Zodiac Killer." The Zodiac Killer was active from 1968-1974, and Ted Cruz was born in 1970, making it impossible for him to have committed these murders.

The fact remains, however, that Cruz's name sounds like that of a serial killer. The serial killer whose name is most similar to his own is Ted Bundy, the aforementioned cannibal.

11. Ron Perlman

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Ronald Francis Perlman is an American actor whose best known roles are in franchises such as Hellboy, Blade and Alien. He has also had a long career as a voice actor, with video game credits like the Fall Out and Halo series.

In 2016, Perlman announced his intentions to run for president in 2020, but he did not follow through with this plan and instead endorsed current Vice President Kamala Harris.

Ronald is not an uncommon name among serial killers, earning Perlman a place on this list. Serial killers who share his first name include Ronald Dominique, Ronald Gray, Ronald James Ward. His middle and last name are also reminiscent of the serial killer known as "The Priestly Butcher," Francis Hermann.

12. Mary Elizabeth Winstead

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This list has only included men so far, but make no mistake: there have been plenty of female serial killers too.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is an American actress and singer who began acting on television in 1997 and has now become a successful film actress. Her most recent film appearance was as The Huntress in the DC Comics adaptation Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

Considering that Mary and Elizabeth are two of the most popular names of all time, it's not surprising that Winstead shares names with a number of serial killers. These include Mary Clement, who poisoned her family with arsenic; Mary Cowan ("The Borgia of Maine"), who poisoned four husbands and two children; Mary Frances Creighton; and Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh. Her name also bears a certain resemblance to that of Marybeth Tinning, a New York serial killer who murdered her children.

13. Billy Bob Thornton

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Billy Bob Thornton is an American filmmaker, actor and musician. He began recording music at a young age, then began acting in the 80s. He later wrote such films as The Gift and All the Pretty Horses.

Thornton claims to dislike celebrity culture despite having been involved in relationships with a number of high-profile celebrities such as Angelina Jolie. In 1993, Thornton married Playboy model Pietra Dawn Cherniak, but this marriage ended in 1997 when Cherniak accused Thornton of spousal abuse.

Thornton shares a first name with several serial killers. Billy Glaze, also known as "Jesse Sitting Crow," was suspected of the murders of at least 50 women. Billy Gohl, active at the beginning of the 20th century, was suspected of murdering over 100 victims. Other serial killers who share one of Thornton's names include Billy Mansfield, Bobby Joe Long, and Bobby Jack Fowler.

14. Wayne Brady

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People named Wayne can't catch a break! (At least when it comes to the similarity of their names to those of serial killers, which is probably not very often— but still.)

Wayne Alphonso Brady is best known as a regular on the improvisational comedy TV show Who's Line Is It Anyway? but he has also performed in drag as a cast member of the Broadway musical Kinky Boots. Brady has developed a positive public image during his career through charitable projects, such as becoming a member of the celebrity board for Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Even so, he was saddled at birth with the same name as several infamous serial killers. Wayne Adam Ford, for instance, was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder in 2006 and sentenced to death.

15. Steve Buscemi

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Steve Vincent Buscemi has become a household name, and for good reason. The American actor and filmmaker began his career as a character actor, but has since become a versatile movie star in films such as Reservoir Dogs and The Death of Stalin.

Buscemi was a firefighter in New York City from 1980 to 1984 and returned to volunteer after 9/11. In 2003 he was arrested while protesting the closure of a number of New York City firehouses, including the one where he formerly worked.

Buscemi has a household name, so it may not immediately strike you as a serial killer name, but there are a number of serial killers with similar names. These include Steven David Catlin, Steven Brian Pennel, Vincent Groves and Vincent Johnson.