Terra
From Latin Terra (“goddess of the earth; the land itself”).
Every Terra since 1940 — 15,434 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Terra
Terra is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,434 in 2025 with 74 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1940, 15,434 American babies have been named Terra. Its peak came in 1980, when 604 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
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 Terra stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Terra 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 | 74 | #2,434 | — | — |
| 2024 | 71 | #2,531 | — | — |
| 2023 | 90 | #2,141 | — | — |
| 2022 | 87 | #2,191 | — | — |
| 2021 | 79 | #2,325 | — | — |
| 2020 | 81 | #2,239 | — | — |
| 2019 | 87 | #2,153 | — | — |
| 2018 | 81 | #2,270 | — | — |
| 2017 | 88 | #2,181 | — | — |
| 2016 | 97 | #2,051 | — | — |
| 2015 | 94 | #2,087 | — | — |
| 2014 | 85 | #2,232 | — | — |
| 2013 | 84 | #2,234 | — | — |
| 2012 | 102 | #1,939 | — | — |
| 2011 | 88 | #2,172 | — | — |
| 2010 | 80 | #2,384 | — | — |
| 2009 | 92 | #2,181 | — | — |
| 2008 | 99 | #2,074 | — | — |
| 2007 | 99 | #2,067 | — | — |
| 2006 | 96 | #2,065 | — | — |
| 2005 | 128 | #1,598 | — | — |
| 2004 | 101 | #1,881 | — | — |
| 2003 | 131 | #1,494 | — | — |
| 2002 | 137 | #1,409 | — | — |
| 2001 | 118 | #1,583 | — | — |
| 2000 | 162 | #1,230 | — | — |
| 1995 | 233 | #840 | — | — |
| 1990 | 355 | #634 | — | — |
| 1985 | 469 | #458 | — | — |
| 1980 | 604 | #379 | — | — |
| 1975 | 527 | #386 | — | — |
| 1970 | 277 | #619 | — | — |
| 1965 | 59 | #1,445 | — | — |
| 1960 | 31 | #2,090 | — | — |
| 1955 | 45 | #1,535 | — | — |
| 1950 | 14 | #2,894 | — | — |
| 1945 | 7 | #3,990 | — | — |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,969 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Terra mean?
From Latin Terra (“goddess of the earth; the land itself”).
How popular is the name Terra in 2025?
Terra ranked #2,434 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 74 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Terra?
15,434 babies have been named Terra in the United States since 1940, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Terra most popular?
Terra peaked in 1980, when 604 newborns received the name.
Is Terra a boy or girl name?
Terra is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Terra rising or falling?
Terra has been roughly stable over the past decade.