Terry
Boy name · #1115 in 2025 · Uniqueness 70/100
Terry is currently the #1115 boy name in the United States — 192 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #661, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,375 boys born in 2025 was named Terry.
Babies named Terry per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Terry first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 10 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1957, when 15,624 boys were named Terry — good for #33 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Terry against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Terry in class?
Terry scores 70 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Terry will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Terry is most common
Geography matters for names, and Terry is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Terrys were TX (26), CA (14), FL (14), MI (11), NC (11). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Terry
Statistically, parents drawn to Terry tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Perry, Larry, Barry, Jerry, and Kerry.
PerryLarryBarryJerryKerryGaryRandyTony
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Terry | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 192 | #1115 |
| 2024 | 174 | #1186 |
| 2023 | 204 | #1064 |
| 2022 | 231 | #975 |
| 2021 | 214 | #1025 |
| 2020 | 238 | #932 |
| 2019 | 267 | #841 |
| 2018 | 314 | #751 |
| 2017 | 358 | #691 |
| 2016 | 388 | #666 |
| 2015 | 389 | #661 |
| 2014 | 423 | #623 |
| 2013 | 427 | #594 |
| 2012 | 482 | #542 |
| 2011 | 478 | #531 |
| 2010 | 521 | #497 |
| 2009 | 482 | #548 |
| 2008 | 580 | #480 |
| 2007 | 608 | #455 |
| 2006 | 614 | #444 |
| 2005 | 693 | #406 |
| 2004 | 657 | #399 |
| 2003 | 667 | #392 |
| 2002 | 687 | #380 |
| 2001 | 803 | #342 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Terry a popular boy name?
Terry ranked #1115 among boys in 2025 with 192 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #661.
When was the name Terry most popular?
Terry peaked in 1957, when 15,624 American boys received the name (ranked #33 that year). Since 1957 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Terry?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,375 newborn American boys was named Terry. It scores 70/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.