Baxter
Baxter is a British surname, originally an occupational surname meaning baker. It derives from the early Middle English word bakstere and the Old English term bæcere. The form Bakster was initially feminine, while Baker served as the masculine equivalent, but over time, both forms came to be applied to both genders.
Meaning & Origin of Baxter
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Baxter is a British surname, originally an occupational surname meaning baker. It derives from the early Middle English word bakstere and the Old English term bæcere. The form Bakster was initially feminine, while Baker served as the masculine equivalent, but over time, both forms came to be applied to both genders.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Baxter
Baxter first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 11 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 74 Baxters were born — ranking #1,945 that year. As of 2026, Baxter ranks #3,421 for baby boys with 34 births, falling sharply (-34%). In total, more than 4K Baxters have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Baxter
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Baxter Atkinson , American union leader and schoolteacher
- Baxter Black (1945–2022), American cowboy, poet, philosopher, former large-animal veterinarian, and radio commentator
- Baxter Bowman (1814–1853), Canadian businessman and politician
- Baxter Dickinson (1795–1875), American minister
- Baxter Dury , pop singer, son of Ian Dury
- Baxter Ennis , American politician
- Baxter Hall (1757–1842), American military officer
- Baxter Holt (born 1999), Australian cricketer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Baxter
Phonetically similar names — useful when Baxter is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Backster
- Baster
- Bastar
- Bankster
- Bakst
- Baxt
- Hackster
- Buster
- Boxer
- Booster
- Boxed
- Bookstore
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Baxter
What does the name Baxter mean?
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In which U.S. states is Baxter most popular?
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About the name Baxter
Baxter is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Baxter's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #512. Use the chart and map above to compare Baxter's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2014 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.