Terry is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Terry means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Terry across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Terry has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Terry is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “ruler of the people”. a short form of Terence or Theodoric.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 521,478 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,153 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 472 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 22 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 313 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 860 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Terry per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1955 (20,939/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1997 (87/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1986 (30/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1975 (15/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2004 (6/yr).
Terry has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1955, when it ranked #39 nationally (given to 20,939 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Troy · Terri · Teri · Trey · Terrie · Tierra · Terra · Tory
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