Teruko: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–
1910s	89	9	–	#1,796
1920s	230	23	+158%	#1,157
1930s	65	7	-72%	#2,410
1940s	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–
1970s	13	1	–	#6,610
1980s	8	1	-38%	#8,076
1990s	–	–	–	–
2000s	–	–	–	–
2010s	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–

Decade

Girls

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

–

#1,796

1920s

230

+158%

#1,157

1930s

-72%

#2,410

1940s

–

1950s

–

1960s

–

1970s

–

#6,610

1980s

-38%

#8,076

1990s

–

2000s

–

2010s

–

2020s (to 2025)

–

The story of Teruko

Teruko 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 1913, 405 American babies have been named Teruko. Its peak came in 1927, when 45 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

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 Teruko stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Teruko 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	–	–
2023	–	–
2022	–	–
2021	–	–
2020	–	–
2019	–	–
2018	–	–
2017	–	–
2016	–	–
2015	–	–
2014	–	–
2013	–	–
2012	–	–
2011	–	–
2010	–	–
2009	–	–
2008	–	–
2007	–	–
2006	–	–
2005	–	–
2004	–	–
2003	–	–
2002	–	–
2001	–	–
2000	–	–
1995	–	–
1990	–	–
1985	–	–
1980	–	–
1975	–	–
1970	–	–
1965	–	–
1960	–	–
1955	–	–
1950	–	–
1945	–	–
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	14	#2,410
1925	18	#2,183
1920	22	#1,880
1915	10	#2,877
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Teruko, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

What does the name Teruko mean?

Borrowed from Japanese てるこ (Teruko).

How popular is the name Teruko in 2025?

Teruko 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 Teruko?

405 babies have been named Teruko in the United States since 1913, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Teruko most popular?

Teruko peaked in 1927, when 45 newborns received the name.

Is Teruko a boy or girl name?

Teruko is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Teruko rising or falling?

Teruko has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Teruko

Teruko popularity over time

The story of Teruko

Teruko year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Teruko