Total births
2,840
Boys' name · since 1938
Terance
Since 1938, U.S. Social Security records show 2,840 babies named Terance, peaking in 1991. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7853
- among boys today
- 2,840
- born since 1938
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 45%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Terance is the #7853 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 2,840 recorded since 1938.
Terance has 2,840 recorded births among boys since 1938, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #7853 as of the latest data, more common than 45% of boys, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1938 to 2024.
- #7853 among boys today
- 2,840 born since 1938
- 1980s peak decade
- 45% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Terance is currently the #7853 boys' name in America, more common than 45% of boys - 2,840 born since 1938, peaking in the 1980s.
- #7853
- among boys today
- 2,840
- born since 1938
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 45%
- more common than other boys
Terance vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#7853
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 45% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Terance was born in this single decade.
1991
Single peak year
76 babies were named Terance in 1991 - its busiest year on record.
How Terance compares
2,840 Top 17% higher than 83% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Terance's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Terance | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,840 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 76 | 23 | 22,252 |
Terance's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Terance's full recorded timeline at 1981, 47% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 53% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1938, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1991 peak of 76 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Terance at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1991
Current rank
#7,853
Active since
1938
Terance popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1938–2024
- Peak year (1991)
- 76
- Annual births at peak, across 87 years of records
Terance by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Terance's strongest decade.
600 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Terance births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s 99
1940s
99 births
- 1950s
1950s
353 births
- 1960s
1960s
493 births
- 1970s
1970s
508 births
- 1980s
1980s
600 births
- 1990s
1990s
440 births
- 2000s 195
2000s
195 births
- 2010s 118
2010s
118 births
- 2020s 29
2020s
29 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 600 births (21% of all-time use).
How Terance compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Terance's total volume
Terance vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Terance by state
Where Terance concentrates geographically, total births since 1938
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 114 | 4.0% |
| #2 | California | | 71 | 2.5% |
| #3 | New York | | 71 | 2.5% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 58 | 2.0% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 57 | 2.0% |
| #6 | Florida | | 35 | 1.2% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 32 | 1.1% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 32 | 1.1% |
Texas share of Terance's total US births 4.0%
Even split
114 of 2,840 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 16 reporting states.
Terance appears in 16 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Terance? ▼
2,840 babies have been named Terance since 1938. It currently ranks #7853 among boys. The peak year was 1991 with 76 births.
When was Terance most popular? ▼
Terance was most popular in the 1980s decade with 600 total births. The single peak year was 1991.
Where is Terance most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Terance are Texas (114 births), California (71 births), New York (71 births).
How long has the name Terance been used? ▼
Terance has been recorded in Social Security data since 1938, spanning 87 years of data through 2024.
What names are similar to Terance? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Terry, Terrence, Terrance, Terrell, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Terance's data
- Terance's decade-level peak was the 1980s (600 total births); usage has since declined to 29 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Terances (114 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Terance
Nearby Names Like Terance
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Terance
Terry Boy
#1186 424,523 births
Terrence Boy
#1522 72,412 births
Terrance Boy
#1292 70,170 births
Terrell Boy
#1496 36,502 births
Terence Boy
#2922 34,290 births
Compare Terance side by side: Terance vs Terry Terance vs Terrence Terance vs Terrance
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Terance
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1938–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Terance: #7853 Boys' Name - 2,840 Births, Peak 1991." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/terance. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Terance draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.