Becket
Thomas Becket — also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury — was assassinated by the knights of Henry II on December 29, 1170 in the Canterbury Cathedral.
Becket served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his death. Becket had a long quarrel with King Henry over issues including tax proposals as well as strong opinions on criminal justice for clerks (religious officials).
Becket fled to France and was exiled for six years before returning. Some violent words of Henry’s were taken literally by his knights, who made the decision to assassinate Becket in the Canterbury Cathedral.
Just days after his death, his tomb became a goal of pilgrimage and he was made a saint and martyr by the Catholic church.
Becket is an upbeat surname meaning with an endearing, cottage-core meaning — “bee cottage” or “little brook”. Spelled Beckett, the name entered the US Top 1000 in 2016 and now ranks #195.
The saintly Becket was given to only 40 baby boys in 2022, significantly less than its double-T counterpart — reflecting a wider trend including names like Bennett and Emmett, Truett and Barrett.