Dexter is a moderately popular boys' name in England & Wales, ranking #154 in 2025 with 346 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2013 with 1,019 births ranking #63. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 578.4%. In 2025, approximately 1 in every 786 boys born was named Dexter. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Dexter is a sharp, intelligent-sounding name linked with the Latin word for the right hand. That older sense also carries associations of skill, luck, and favourable direction.
The name came into English partly through surname and descriptive use before becoming a given name. Its modern revival has been helped by its crisp, bright, slightly scholarly feel.