Terry
A surname originating as a patronymic from the medieval Norman given name Thierry, a cognate of the English Derek.
Every Terry since 1880 — 521,478 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Terry
Terry is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,116 in 2025 with 192 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 521,478 American babies have been named Terry — about 81% boys and 19% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1955, when 20,939 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Terry stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Terry year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | #10,047 | 192 | #1,116 |
| 2024 | 10 | #10,198 | 174 | #1,187 |
| 2023 | 9 | #11,091 | 204 | #1,065 |
| 2022 | 7 | #13,455 | 231 | #978 |
| 2021 | — | — | 214 | #1,029 |
| 2020 | 8 | #12,047 | 238 | #933 |
| 2019 | 15 | #7,685 | 267 | #844 |
| 2018 | 10 | #10,491 | 314 | #757 |
| 2017 | 9 | #11,545 | 358 | #691 |
| 2016 | 11 | #10,056 | 388 | #666 |
| 2015 | 8 | #12,910 | 389 | #663 |
| 2014 | 9 | #11,859 | 423 | #625 |
| 2013 | 15 | #8,113 | 427 | #594 |
| 2012 | 17 | #7,433 | 482 | #542 |
| 2011 | 18 | #7,090 | 478 | #533 |
| 2010 | 21 | #6,366 | 521 | #498 |
| 2009 | 23 | #6,075 | 482 | #549 |
| 2008 | 15 | #8,490 | 580 | #480 |
| 2007 | 26 | #5,513 | 608 | #455 |
| 2006 | 24 | #5,692 | 614 | #445 |
| 2005 | 25 | #5,247 | 693 | #406 |
| 2004 | 49 | #3,174 | 657 | #400 |
| 2003 | 22 | #5,572 | 667 | #392 |
| 2002 | 30 | #4,271 | 687 | #380 |
| 2001 | 36 | #3,700 | 803 | #343 |
| 2000 | 30 | #4,176 | 847 | #331 |
| 1995 | 55 | #2,391 | 1,176 | #245 |
| 1990 | 114 | #1,395 | 1,893 | #164 |
| 1985 | 180 | #892 | 2,374 | #119 |
| 1980 | 292 | #625 | 2,981 | #101 |
| 1975 | 491 | #412 | 3,971 | #67 |
| 1970 | 1,114 | #269 | 6,186 | #54 |
| 1965 | 2,021 | #174 | 9,088 | #40 |
| 1960 | 4,840 | #101 | 13,932 | #34 |
| 1955 | 5,353 | #83 | 15,586 | #28 |
| 1950 | 2,526 | #127 | 11,433 | #30 |
| 1945 | 950 | #204 | 6,834 | #33 |
| 1940 | 370 | #331 | 2,982 | #73 |
| 1935 | 195 | #457 | 962 | #154 |
| 1930 | 152 | #555 | 296 | #321 |
| 1925 | 148 | #597 | 190 | #436 |
| 1920 | 54 | #1,019 | 142 | #514 |
| 1915 | 32 | #1,252 | 105 | #549 |
| 1910 | 16 | #1,162 | 30 | #521 |
| 1905 | 9 | #1,403 | 15 | #634 |
| 1900 | — | — | 21 | #532 |
| 1895 | — | — | 13 | #605 |
| 1890 | — | — | 12 | #598 |
| 1885 | — | — | 9 | #691 |
| 1880 | — | — | 10 | #632 |
Famous people named Terry
- Terry Pratchett Writer · 1948–2015
- Terry Gilliam Film director · b. 1940
- Terry Jones Actor · 1942–2020
- Terry O'Quinn Actor · b. 1952
- Terry Brooks Writer · b. 1944
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Terry mean?
A surname originating as a patronymic from the medieval Norman given name Thierry, a cognate of the English Derek.
How popular is the name Terry in 2025?
Terry ranked #1,116 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 192 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Terry?
521,478 babies have been named Terry in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Terry most popular?
Terry peaked in 1955, when 20,939 newborns received the name.
Is Terry a boy or girl name?
Terry is used for both: about 19% of babies named Terry have been girls and 81% boys.
Is the name Terry rising or falling?
Terry is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Terry?
Well-known people named Terry include Terry Pratchett (writer), Terry Gilliam (film director), Terry Jones (actor).