When was Dex most popular?

Dex reached its peak popularity in 2016 with 43 births that year. It is currently ranked #3809 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Dex?

Dex is currently ranked #3809 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 638 babies since 1952.

Dex

An uncommon pick — distinctive and rare.

Boy's nameDeclining Also a pet name

#3809▼ 623in 2024

Meaning & Origin

nominative singular of Deu; alternative form of Deus

Dex is a boy's baby name of Latin origin, a short form of Dexter, from the Latin dexter, meaning 'right-handed' or 'skillful, fortunate' — the right hand was historically associated with skill and good fortune.

Compact and punchy, Dex has the one-syllable cool of names like Rex, Jax, and Knox. The television serial killer Dexter Morgan from Showtime's Dexter gave the name a complicated but memorable cultural presence, while the simple meaning of skillfulness makes it genuinely aspirational for any child.

Compare Dex with another name

Popularity Over Time

Dex has 36+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1952.

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Dex
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	162	#3535	▼
2010s	272	#4119	▲
2000s	46	#9339	▼
1990s	74	#6955	—
1980s	79	#3285	▲
1950s	5	#3864	—

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(36 years, 1952–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Dex
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	29	#3809	-9 (-23.7%)
2023	38	#3186	+11 (40.7%)
2022	27	#4012	-8 (-22.9%)
2021	35	#3314	+2 (6.1%)
2020	33	#3354	+1 (3.1%)
2019	32	#3510	+2 (6.7%)
2018	30	#3623	+1 (3.4%)
2017	29	#3698	-14 (-32.6%)
2016	43	#2796	+17 (65.4%)
2015	26	#4006	-7 (-21.2%)
2014	33	#3319	+11 (50.0%)
2013	22	#4361	-5 (-18.5%)
2012	27	#3822	+8 (42.1%)
2011	19	#4859	+8 (72.7%)
2010	11	#7198	-2 (-15.4%)
2009	13	#6523	+5 (62.5%)
2008	8	#9203	+2 (33.3%)
2006	6	#11005	0
2005	6	#10436	-2 (-25.0%)
2003	8	#8041	+3 (60.0%)