Dexter
Dexter is an English masculine given name. It is a transferred use of a surname derived from the Old English word deagestre, meaning “dyer of cloth.” Dexter is also a Latin term meaning skillful.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Dexter
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dexter is an English masculine given name. It is a transferred use of a surname derived from the Old English word deagestre, meaning “dyer of cloth.” Dexter is also a Latin term meaning skillful.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Dexter
Dexter first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2012, when 842 Dexters were born — ranking #361 that year. As of 2026, Dexter ranks #812 for baby boys with 312 births, falling sharply (-41%). In total, more than 37K Dexters have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Dexter
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Dexter. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Dexter
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dexter is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dexter
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About the name Dexter
Dexter is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 37K births in the dataset. Dexter's peak popularity came in 2012 when it ranked #262. Use the chart and map above to compare Dexter's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2012 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- 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.