Dexter Name Meaning, Popularity and Origins
Origin:
English
Gender Distribution:
99% Masculine / 1% Feminine
Meaning:
Meaning 'right-handed' or 'skillful', Dexter is a name of English origin that connotes strength and proficiency.
Meaning of the Name Dexter
Dexter is a name of English origin that means 'right-handed' or 'skillful'. It is derived from the Latin word 'dexter' which means 'right'. The name has connotations of strength and proficiency. It became popular as a given name in the 19th century and has since maintained steady popularity. Dexter is also the name of a famous television series character who is a forensic blood spatter analyst.
Popularity of the Name Dexter
The popularity for the name Dexter peaked in popularity in the year 2012 with 842 births, which ranked number 732 out of 31,315 unique names for that year. Dexter had the most female births in 1923 with 16, which ranked number 2,264 out of 5,739 female names for that year, and had the most male births in 2012 with 842, which ranked number 361 out of 14,248 male names for that year. The number of births for the name Dexter has declined sharply over the last ten years from 842 births to 381 births, a decline of -54.75%. Among males, Dexter has declined sharply in popularity over the last ten years from 842 births to 381 births, a decline of -54.75%.
Nationwide Popularity of Dexter
- 20 Year Trend of Dexter: 85.85%
- 10 Year Trend of Dexter: -54.75%
- 10 Year Male Trend of Dexter: -54.75%
Popularity of Dexter by State
For males, Dexter was most popular in Midwestern states with 123 births in the region. It was most commonly seen in CA, with 33 male births. See below for a full state by state breakdown of the name Dexter. States with less than five births recorded will not be shown.
| State | Male Births | Male Gender Rank | Female Births | Female Gender Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR | 5 | 547 | < 5 | N/A |
| AZ | 6 | 816 | < 5 | N/A |
| CA | 33 | 771 | < 5 | N/A |
| CO | 7 | 644 | < 5 | N/A |
| FL | 25 | 613 | < 5 | N/A |
| GA | 7 | 1101 | < 5 | N/A |
| IA | 7 | 466 | < 5 | N/A |
| ID | 6 | 353 | < 5 | N/A |
| IL | 25 | 416 | < 5 | N/A |
| IN | 16 | 433 | < 5 | N/A |
| KS | 9 | 383 | < 5 | N/A |
| KY | 7 | 533 | < 5 | N/A |
| MA | 6 | 671 | < 5 | N/A |
| MD | 6 | 722 | < 5 | N/A |
| MI | 15 | 520 | < 5 | N/A |
| MN | 7 | 656 | < 5 | N/A |
| MO | 11 | 494 | < 5 | N/A |
| NC | 12 | 721 | < 5 | N/A |
| NJ | 7 | 819 | < 5 | N/A |
| NY | 11 | 1056 | < 5 | N/A |
| OH | 21 | 483 | < 5 | N/A |
| OK | 8 | 483 | < 5 | N/A |
| OR | 7 | 474 | < 5 | N/A |
| PA | 12 | 697 | < 5 | N/A |
| SC | 7 | 571 | < 5 | N/A |
| TN | 13 | 536 | < 5 | N/A |
| TX | 20 | 1096 | < 5 | N/A |
| VA | 6 | 951 | < 5 | N/A |
| WA | 6 | 887 | < 5 | N/A |
| WI | 12 | 403 | < 5 | N/A |
2024 Popularity Projections for Dexter
- Total Births of Dexter: 352 (-7.62%)
- Male Births of Dexter: 352 (-7.62%)
Given the downward trend of Dexter over the last 10 years, we expect this to continue in 2024 with roughly a -7.62% decrease in total births, for a total of 352 births in 2024. Male births for Dexter have been decreasing over the past decade, so we anticipate roughly 352 male births in 2024, a decrease of -7.62%.