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Home › Baby Names Directory › Becket

Becket

♂ Boy

Pronounced BEK-it /ˈbɛk.ɪt/High

Meaning: From an English surname meaning 'little brook' (from bec, 'stream') or 'little beak'; immortalized by Thomas Becket, archbishop and martyrMedium

In 30 seconds: One t and eight centuries of drama: Becket is the surname of Thomas Becket, the archbishop murdered in his own cathedral — etymologically just a 'little brook' that history made an ocean.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningFrom an English surname meaning 'little brook' (from bec, 'stream') or 'little beak'; immortalized by Thomas Becket, archbishop and martyr
U.S. rank (2025)#3770 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births29 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2016
Total births (all-time)≈ 588

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202119692025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Becket is an English surname from Old French bec — 'little brook' or, as a nickname, 'little beak' — that Thomas Becket fixed in history when his defiance of Henry II ended in martyrdom at Canterbury in 1170, making his shrine medieval England's great pilgrimage (Chaucer's pilgrims were headed there). The single-t spelling points straight at the saint; double-t Beckett honors the playwright.

As a first name it rides the surname wave with unusual depth behind it. American use is rare, split between the two spellings and their two famous ghosts.

Did you know? Four knights took Henry II's exasperated outburst — 'Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?' — literally, and Canterbury Cathedral's most famous murder made Becket a saint within three years.
Overall data confidence 78%
Dictionary of American Family Names — Beckett — surname origin, debated

Variations

BeckettBecketts

Nicknames

Beck

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Becket…

Beckett— the double-t playwright spelling of the same name
Beckham— the fellow Beck- surname with sports gloss
Canon— a church-history word name in the same key
Crosby— another crisp two-syllable surname pick

Explore names like Becket

By themeenglishsurname-namesainthistorical
By meaningSea / WaterEternal

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Becket mean?

Becket comes from an English surname meaning 'little brook' or 'little beak', famous through Thomas Becket of Canterbury.

How do you pronounce Becket?

It's said BEK-it /ˈbɛk.ɪt/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Becket a boy or girl name?

Becket is a boy's name.

How popular is Becket?

Becket is a rare spelling in the U.S.; Beckett is the popular form.

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