Where does the name Terry come from?

Terry is a unisex name of English origin.

Is Terry a boy or a girl name?

Terry is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 19% of children given the name Terry are girls and 81% are boys.

How popular is the name Terry in 2023?

Terry ranks #11091 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1955 with 20,939 babies.

How do you pronounce Terry?

Terry is pronounced TEHR-ee (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Terry?

Terry is also written as Terri, Terrie, Terrye.

A name from English · Unisex

Terry

A short form of Terence (Latin Terentius, a Roman family name of uncertain origin) for boys, or of Theresa (likely Greek therizein, 'to harvest', or a place-name) for girls. Peaked as a unisex name in mid-20th-century America.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

521,092 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

213 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

TA short form of Terence (Latin Terentius, a Roman family name of uncertain origin) for boys, or of Theresa (likely Greek therizein, 'to harvest', or a place-name) for girls. Peaked as a unisex name in mid-20th-century America.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Terry".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Terri Most common Terrie Terrye

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Terry.

T
Terry Bradshaw (Hall of Fame quarterback)
T
Terry Gross (NPR host)
T
Terry Pratchett (author)

Quick answers

People often ask about Terry.

What does the name Terry mean?: Terry means a short form of Terence (Latin Terentius, a Roman family name of uncertain origin) for boys, or of Theresa (likely Greek therizein, 'to harvest', or a place-name) for girls. Peaked as a unisex name in mid-20th-century America.
Where does the name Terry come from?: Terry is a unisex name of English origin.
Is Terry a boy or a girl name?: Terry is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 19% of children given the name Terry are girls and 81% are boys.
How popular is the name Terry in 2023?: Terry ranks #11091 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1955 with 20,939 babies.
How do you pronounce Terry?: Terry is pronounced TEHR-ee (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Terry?: Terry is also written as Terri, Terrie, Terrye.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.