Slayter
An English name of unknown meaning or derivation, potentially related to slating or slater.
Name Census estimates that about 170 living Americans carry the first name Slayter. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Slayter today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Slayter births was 2021 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Slayter. 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
170
~ 1 in 2,016,202 Americans
Peak year
2021
16 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,397
Tracked since 1999
Popularity
Slayter: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Slayter from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 79 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Slayter 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 Slayter during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Slayter
The name Slayter has its origins in the Old English language, derived from the word "slægtere," which translates to "slaughterer" or "butcher." This connection to the occupation of butchery suggests the name may have initially been a surname used to identify individuals involved in this trade.
During the Middle Ages, the name Slayter gained popularity across various regions of England, particularly in areas with thriving livestock and meat industries. It was commonly found in records and documents from towns and villages known for their bustling marketplaces and butcher shops.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Slayter can be traced back to the 13th century, when a certain Robert Slayter was mentioned in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Slayter. In the 16th century, John Slayter (1516-1591) was a prominent English clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Berkshire. Another figure of note was William Slayter (1675-1742), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury in the early 18th century.
Moving into the 19th century, Slayter gained recognition through the works of the American writer and poet Lydia Slayter (1825-1891), whose poems and essays often explored themes of nature and domesticity. Additionally, Josiah Slayter (1845-1923) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from New York, known for his contributions to various educational and charitable organizations.
In the realm of sports, one cannot overlook the accomplishments of the English cricketer George Slayter (1872-1948), who represented the Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and played in several high-profile matches during his career.
While the name Slayter may have originated from humble beginnings, it has left an indelible mark across various fields, showcasing the diversity and resilience of this historical moniker.
People
Slayter + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Slayter as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Slayter: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Slayter?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 170 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Slayter 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 2,016,202 US residents.
Is Slayter a common name?
We classify Slayter as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 171 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Slayter most popular?
The single biggest year for Slayter was 2021, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Slayter is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Slayter in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Slayter a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Slayter 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.
Is Slayter still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Slayter in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Slayter can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Slayter?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.