Dex
One given to do things dextrously or adeptly.
Name Census estimates that about 628 living Americans carry the first name Dex. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dex today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dex births was 2016 (43 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dex. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
628
~ 1 in 545,787 Americans
Peak year
2016
43 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,809
Tracked since 1952
Popularity
Dex: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dex from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 272 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Dex remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dex by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Dex during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dex' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Illinois, Texas recorded the most babies named Dex, while Texas, Illinois, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 10 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dex
The name Dex is believed to have its origins in the English language, where it was likely derived from the nickname "Dex" for the given name Dexter. The name Dexter itself is derived from the Latin word "dexter," which means "right-handed" or "fortunate."
Historically, the name Dexter was used in ancient Rome to refer to someone who was right-handed or favored. It was also sometimes used as a surname or family name during this period. However, the specific origin and earliest recorded use of the shortened form "Dex" as a given name is unclear.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dex can be found in the works of the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare. In his play "The Merry Wives of Windsor," written around 1597, there is a character named Dex who appears briefly. This suggests that the name was in use, at least as a nickname, in England during the late 16th century.
In the 19th century, the name Dex gained some popularity as a given name, particularly in the United States. One notable bearer of the name was Dex Dimond (1835-1919), an American businessman and politician who served as the 11th Governor of Michigan from 1869 to 1871.
Another famous individual with the first name Dex was Dex Parios (1888-1965), an American stunt performer and actor who appeared in numerous Hollywood films during the early 20th century. He was known for his daring stunts and often performed his own stunts in movies.
In more recent times, the name Dex has been used by several notable individuals, including Dex Elkins (1949-2023), an American guitarist and songwriter who was a member of the rock band The Fortunes in the 1960s, and Dex Romweber (born 1964), an American singer-songwriter and guitarist known for his work in the rockabilly and garage rock genres.
While the name Dex has not been as widely popular as its longer form, Dexter, it has still maintained a consistent presence throughout history, particularly in English-speaking cultures. Its unique sound and association with qualities like dexterity and good fortune have likely contributed to its enduring appeal as a given name.
People
Dex + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dex as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dex: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dex?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 628 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dex going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 545,787 US residents.
Is Dex a common name?
We classify Dex as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 638 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dex most popular?
The single biggest year for Dex was 2016, when 43 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dex is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dex a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dex in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.