Dexter
From the Latin word dexter, meaning right-handed and by extension skilled; it also survives as an English occupational surname for a dyer, from Old English dehstre.
Dexter in 2025
Dexter was given to 393 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 1,394th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 8,436 babies born.
The history of Dexter
Dexter reached its highest point in 2012, when 842 babies were given the name, ranking 732nd that year. Its best-ever ranking was 573rd, in 1968.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 36,800 babies have been named Dexter. Half of them were born before 1986, which places the name's centre of gravity with Millennials.
Dexter by decade
| Decade | Babies named Dexter | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 75 | 1,089 |
| 1890s | 65 | 1,405 |
| 1900s | 98 | 1,273 |
| 1910s | 529 | 1,395 |
| 1920s | 923 | 1,269 |
| 1930s | 820 | 1,232 |
| 1940s | 1,462 | 990 |
| 1950s | 3,507 | 753 |
| 1960s | 4,939 | 573 |
| 1970s | 3,895 | 644 |
| 1980s | 4,317 | 674 |
| 1990s | 3,862 | 803 |
| 2000s | 2,576 | 1,164 |
| 2010s | 7,155 | 732 |
| 2020s | 2,577 | 1,082 |
Where Dexter is heading
Dexter has fallen 48% over the past decade, from 755 babies in 2015 to 393 in 2025.
Names like Dexter
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Dexter.