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Baxter

Boy name · 51 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Baxter: 51 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 7 births in 2012.

Baxter is a surname-turned-first-name of Old English origin, meaning "baker," originally a feminine form of "baker" (the male equivalent was "Bakester"). Historically a trade name for a female bread-maker, it emerged as a given name in the 19th century, likely through Scottish and Northern English families where surnames were commonly adopted as first names. Famous bearers include Scottish footballer Baxter McLean and American author Baxter Black, but it's perhaps best known as the surname of the Guinness brewing dynasty, though no famous bearer shares the first name directly related to brewing. Interestingly, the name gained a gentle, literary association through the fictional dog Baxter in the children's book "Baxter's Book of Very Dark Things." It shares its root with the surname Bakester, though Baxter remains the more common form.