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Home › Baby Names Directory › Cutter

Cutter

♂ Boy

Pronounced KUT-ər /ˈkʌt.ər/High

Meaning: Occupational surname for a cutter of cloth, stone, or gems; also the name of a fast single-masted sailing vesselHigh

In 30 seconds: A workshop and a ship in one name: Cutter was the medieval craftsman who cut cloth and gems — and the swift sloop that outran everything in the harbor.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningOccupational surname for a cutter of cloth, stone, or gems; also the name of a fast single-masted sailing vessel
U.S. rank (2025)#2685 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births48 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2003
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,682

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200319832025

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

Cutter began as a Middle English occupational surname for men who cut for a living — tailors' cutters, stonecutters, gem cutters. The word also named a fast, single-masted sailing vessel, lending the name a nautical second wind; the cult film Cutter's Way and assorted soap-opera cowboys kept it flickering in pop culture.

As a given name it surfaced in the 1980s-90s preppy-rugged lane beside Hunter and Tucker. It remains rare — a name with calluses and a jib sail.

Did you know? In sailing, a cutter was built for speed — revenue cutters chased smugglers, which is why the U.S. Coast Guard still calls its ships cutters today.
Overall data confidence 85%
Dictionary of American Family Names — Cutter — surname origin

Variations

Kutter

Nicknames

Cut

Famous Bearers

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If you like Cutter…

Hunter— the flagship rugged occupational name
Tucker— a fellow cloth-trade surname with the same energy
Ryder— another -er action surname of the era
Colt— shares the denim-and-dust register

Explore names like Cutter

By themesurname-nameoccupationalnautical
By meaningRock / Stone

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cutter mean?

Cutter is an occupational surname for one who cuts — cloth, stone, or gems — and also names a fast sailing vessel.

How do you pronounce Cutter?

It's said KUT-ər /ˈkʌt.ər/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Cutter a boy or girl name?

Cutter is a boy's name.

How popular is Cutter?

Cutter is a rare name in the U.S.

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