Meaning: Its source is a Latin expression meaning "Fortunate."

Nicknames: Dex and Dexy

Popularity: The name Dexter ranked 798th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 466th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.

Narrative: This name literally referred to right-handedness, which in many cultures has been considered ''fortunate'' in contrast to left-handedness.

Its use may also have been influenced by the Old English term deag estre, which referred to women engaged in the dyeing of cloth.