Dexter is a distinctive boys' name in United States, ranking #693 in 2025 with 393 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2012 with 842 births ranking #361. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 28.0%. In 2025, approximately 1 in every 4,346 boys born was named Dexter. STABLE Recent data shows the name is currently stable.
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.