Tera
Every Tera since 1885 — 9,918 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tera
Tera is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1885, 9,918 American babies have been named Tera. Its peak came in 1984, when 416 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Tera stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tera year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | 8 | #12,059 |
| 2023 | 10 | #10,250 |
| 2022 | 12 | #9,009 |
| 2021 | 18 | #6,661 |
| 2020 | 10 | #10,188 |
| 2019 | 10 | #10,409 |
| 2018 | 9 | #11,355 |
| 2017 | 9 | #11,543 |
| 2016 | 13 | #8,829 |
| 2015 | 15 | #7,972 |
| 2014 | 22 | #5,975 |
| 2013 | 16 | #7,720 |
| 2012 | 30 | #4,827 |
| 2011 | 20 | #6,544 |
| 2010 | 36 | #4,177 |
| 2009 | 37 | #4,188 |
| 2008 | 52 | #3,262 |
| 2007 | 52 | #3,286 |
| 2006 | 45 | #3,559 |
| 2005 | 65 | #2,634 |
| 2004 | 49 | #3,173 |
| 2003 | 51 | #2,994 |
| 2002 | 75 | #2,224 |
| 2001 | 74 | #2,210 |
| 2000 | 50 | #2,900 |
| 1995 | 111 | #1,454 |
| 1990 | 217 | #892 |
| 1985 | 373 | #535 |
| 1980 | 356 | #532 |
| 1975 | 381 | #485 |
| 1970 | 191 | #764 |
| 1965 | 48 | #1,633 |
| 1960 | 39 | #1,833 |
| 1955 | 16 | #2,954 |
| 1950 | 10 | #3,640 |
| 1945 | 10 | #3,110 |
| 1940 | 11 | #2,714 |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 10 | #3,337 |
| 1920 | 12 | #2,877 |
| 1915 | 8 | #3,398 |
| 1910 | 5 | #2,751 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,204 |
| 1900 | 8 | #1,551 |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,786 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | 5 | #1,184 |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Tera
- Tera Patrick Pornographic actor · b. 1976
- Tera Wray Pornographic actor · 1982–2016
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Tera in 2025?
Tera did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Tera?
9,918 babies have been named Tera in the United States since 1885, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tera most popular?
Tera peaked in 1984, when 416 newborns received the name.
Is Tera a boy or girl name?
Tera is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Tera rising or falling?
Tera is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Tera?
Well-known people named Tera include Tera Patrick (pornographic actor), Tera Wray (pornographic actor).