Terence
From Latin Terentius, a Roman family name of obscure origin, borne by a Roman playwright and by early Christian saints.
Every Terence since 1885 — 34,460 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Terence
Terence is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,753 in 2025 with 47 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1885, 34,460 American babies have been named Terence. Its peak came in 1964, when 1,024 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
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 Terence stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Terence 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 | — | — | 47 | #2,753 |
| 2024 | — | — | 43 | #2,949 |
| 2023 | — | — | 37 | #3,284 |
| 2022 | — | — | 61 | #2,347 |
| 2021 | — | — | 56 | #2,434 |
| 2020 | — | — | 59 | #2,321 |
| 2019 | — | — | 77 | #1,931 |
| 2018 | — | — | 70 | #2,061 |
| 2017 | — | — | 81 | #1,842 |
| 2016 | — | — | 97 | #1,653 |
| 2015 | — | — | 101 | #1,598 |
| 2014 | — | — | 111 | #1,472 |
| 2013 | — | — | 116 | #1,432 |
| 2012 | — | — | 135 | #1,294 |
| 2011 | — | — | 127 | #1,342 |
| 2010 | — | — | 143 | #1,239 |
| 2009 | — | — | 129 | #1,346 |
| 2008 | — | — | 130 | #1,333 |
| 2007 | — | — | 145 | #1,222 |
| 2006 | — | — | 138 | #1,223 |
| 2005 | — | — | 122 | #1,277 |
| 2004 | — | — | 136 | #1,157 |
| 2003 | — | — | 177 | #931 |
| 2002 | — | — | 148 | #1,043 |
| 2001 | — | — | 164 | #948 |
| 2000 | — | — | 202 | #800 |
| 1995 | — | — | 289 | #603 |
| 1990 | — | — | 482 | #452 |
| 1985 | 12 | #6,011 | 549 | #344 |
| 1980 | — | — | 395 | #411 |
| 1975 | 8 | #7,097 | 480 | #352 |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,913 | 595 | #324 |
| 1965 | — | — | 768 | #270 |
| 1960 | — | — | 754 | #288 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,636 | 767 | #250 |
| 1950 | — | — | 447 | #322 |
| 1945 | — | — | 243 | #383 |
| 1940 | — | — | 136 | #499 |
| 1935 | — | — | 97 | #588 |
| 1930 | — | — | 44 | #1,048 |
| 1925 | — | — | 28 | #1,420 |
| 1920 | — | — | 46 | #1,033 |
| 1915 | — | — | 20 | #1,595 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | 9 | #690 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Terence
- Terence Hill Actor · b. 1939
- Terence Writer · -185–-159
- Terence Stamp Actor · b. 1938
- Terence Young Film director · 1915–1994
- Terence McKenna Writer · 1946–2000
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Terence mean?
From Latin Terentius, a Roman family name of obscure origin, borne by a Roman playwright and by early Christian saints.
How popular is the name Terence in 2025?
Terence ranked #2,753 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 47 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Terence?
34,460 babies have been named Terence in the United States since 1885, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Terence most popular?
Terence peaked in 1964, when 1,024 newborns received the name.
Is Terence a boy or girl name?
Terence is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Terence rising or falling?
Terence is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Terence?
Well-known people named Terence include Terence Hill (actor), Terence (writer), Terence Stamp (actor).