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Home › Baby Names Directory › Slater

Slater

♂ Boy

Pronounced SLAY-tuhr /ˈsleɪ.təɹ/Medium

Meaning: From the English occupational surname for a roofer who works with slate.Medium

In 30 seconds: Slater comes from an English occupational surname for a roofer who works with slate.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningFrom the English occupational surname for a roofer who works with slate.
U.S. rank (2025)#1275 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births155 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,378

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202519152025

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

The name began as a surname marking a trade: the slater was the craftsman who laid slate roofs. Adopted as a first name, it carries that practical, working-with-the-hands heritage. Its single firm sound gives it a sturdy, no-nonsense character.

Like many trade-based surnames turned given names, Slater has a brisk, modern edge while quietly nodding to old building craft.

Did you know? Slater likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.
Overall data confidence 70%
Behind the Name - Slater — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Slater…

Mason— Another English occupational name from the building trades, like Slater.
Tyler— An occupational surname for a tile-layer, parallel to Slater's roofing trade.
Stryker— another English name
Sawyer— a fellow English choice
Zyler— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Slater

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Slater mean?

Slater is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Slater?

It's commonly said SLAY-tuhr /ˈsleɪ.təɹ/.

Is Slater a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Slater is used as a boy name.

How popular is Slater?

In 2024, Slater ranked #1540 in the U.S. for boys, with 114 births recorded.

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