Dexter

Latin

"dyer, right-handed"

Dexter Origin and Meaning

The name Dexter is a boy's name of Latin origin meaning "dyer, right-handed".

The jazzy, ultra-cool Dexter, like most names with an "x," has a lot of energy and dynamism.

Over the years, it's been attached to a number of diverse real and fictional personalities—C. K. Dexter Haven, the witty Cary Grant character in The Philadelphia Story; Dexter Green, the protagonist of the F. Scott Fitzgerald story "Winter Dreams"; great jazz tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon; the boy-genius protagonist of cartoon Dexter's Laboratory; and the most recent TV series Dexter based on the books by Jeff Lindsay, whose lead happens to be a genial but sociopathic serial killer.

Dexter was chosen by hip musical couple Diana Krall and Elvis Costello for one of their twin boys, and by singer Charlotte Church.

Dex is an equally appealing nickname, now sometimes used on its own.

Dexter Rank in US Top 1000

# 700 in the US

Dexter Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

# 467 on Nameberry

Popularity of the name Dexter

• 700 US 2023
• 467 Nameberry 2025
• 561 Future 2028
• 175 England 2023
• 37 Dogs 2023
• 34 Cats 2023

20 Names Similar to Dexter

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Dexter.

• Harvey
• Abel
• Rex
• Winston
• Reuben
• Jules
• Zeke
• Roman
• Toby
• Spencer
• Samson
• Quincy
• Jonas
• Quentin
• Robin
• Jesse
• Duncan
• Heath
• Morgan
• Percy

Famous People Named Dexter

• Dexter Lamar Jackson American NFL football player.
• Dexter Alexander Davis American NFL football player.
• Dexter Marquise McCluster American NFL football player.
• Dexter Anthony Carter American NFL player.
• Dexter Keith McCleon American NFL player.
• Dexter John Bean American NASCAR driver
• Dexter Keith Gordon American saxophonist.
• Bryan Kieth "Dexter" Holland lead singer of American band The Offspring.
• Dexter Vines American comic book artist and inker.
• Dexter Fletcher British actor.
• Dexter Roberts American country music singer.
• Dexter Horton founder of the first bank in Seattle.
• Dexter Blackstock English football player.
• Dexter Brown British painter.
• Dexter Curtis American inventor and politician.
• Dexter Scott King son of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Dexter Henry Lorcan Costello (b. 2006) son of singers Elvis Costello and Diana Krall.
• Dexter Lloyd Henson (b. 2009) son of singer Charlotte Church.

The name Dexter in Pop Culture

• "Dexter's Laboratory " animated TV series and its main character.
• Dexter Morgan a serial killer and main character on the TV show "Dexter".
• C.K. Dexter Haven character in film The Philadelphia Story & High Society.
• Dexter main character from David Nicholl's novel "One Day".
• Dexter Jones character in Sarah Dessen's novel, This Lullaby.
• Dexterous "Dexter" Charming son of King Charming on TV show "Ever After High".
• Dexter Alvin "Dex" Dizznee character in "Keeper of the Lost Cities" by Shannon Messenger.
• Dexter Hartman character on British soap "EastEnders".
• Ramone "Ray" Dexter one half of gunshark duo Sinister Dexter featured in the British comics anthology 2000 AD.
• Dexter now known as Dex,Starr, a member of the Red Lantern Corps in the DC Comics universe.
• Dexter "Dex" Barrington a character in The Country Bears.
• Dexter young version of the protagonist in the Space Ace video game.
• Dexter Douglas the alter ego of the title character Freakazoid!
• Dexter Charming character in "Ever After High".