The baby name Dexter combines a preppy polish with a heck of an edge.
Thanks to Kayt and Natalie for suggesting today’s Name of the Day.
DEXTER’S GOT SKILLS
The baby name Dexter started out as a surname, from dyster – a medieval English occupational name for one who dyed wool. The wool industry was massive in the era; England exported sacks and sacks of it, both as raw material and finished cloth.
No surprise, then, that the surname Dexter caught on. And, like nearly any familiar surname, was sometimes given as a first, too.
But there’s a second meaning to the baby name Dexter.
In Latin dexter means skillful. Think of the word dexterous.
Over the years, it meant both nimble with one’s hands, and also clever and quick-witted. It’s an appealing image for a child’s name.
