Total births
72,412
Boys' name · since 1886
Terrence
72,412 babies named Terrence in U.S. Social Security records since 1886, with the highest year being 1955. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #1522
- among boys today
- 72,412
- born since 1886
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other boys
Terrence currently ranks #1522 among boys' names in America, with 72,412 babies recorded since 1886.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Terrence has been recorded 72,412 times among boys since 1886, currently ranked #1522 nationally and more common than 89% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 2025.
- #1522 among boys today
- 72,412 born since 1886
- 1950s peak decade
- 89% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Terrence is currently the #1522 boys' name in America, more common than 89% of boys - 72,412 born since 1886, peaking in the 1950s.
- #1522
- among boys today
- 72,412
- born since 1886
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other boys
Terrence vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1522
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 89% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Terrence was born in this single decade.
1955
Single peak year
1,497 babies were named Terrence in 1955 - its busiest year on record.
How Terrence compares
72,412 Top 3% higher than 97% 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
Terrence's all-time total is 197x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Terrence | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 72,412 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,497 | 23 | 22,252 |
Terrence's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Terrence's full recorded timeline at 1960, 68% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 32% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1889, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1955 peak of 1,497 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Terrence at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1955
Current rank
#1,522
Active since
1886
Terrence popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2025
- Peak year (1955)
- 1,497
- Annual births at peak, across 140 years of records
Terrence popularity over time - girls
527 total births recorded since 1943 (Terrence as girls' name)
Terrence by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Terrence's strongest decade.
12,833 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Terrence births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 25
1880s
25 births
- 1890s 59
1890s
59 births
- 1900s 28
1900s
28 births
- 1910s 213
1910s
213 births
- 1920s 584
1920s
584 births
- 1930s 1,773
1930s
1,773 births
- 1940s
1940s
7,656 births
- 1950s
1950s
12,833 births
- 1960s
1960s
10,818 births
- 1970s
1970s
11,905 births
- 1980s
1980s
10,665 births
- 1990s
1990s
7,724 births
- 2000s 4,297
2000s
4,297 births
- 2010s 3,003
2010s
3,003 births
- 2020s 829
2020s
829 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 12,833 births (18% of all-time use).
How Terrence 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 Terrence's total volume
Terrence vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Terrence by state
Where Terrence concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 7,133 | 9.9% |
| #2 | New York | | 6,945 | 9.6% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 4,883 | 6.7% |
| #4 | California | | 4,249 | 5.9% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 3,905 | 5.4% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 3,885 | 5.4% |
| #7 | Florida | | 3,055 | 4.2% |
| #8 | Texas | | 2,763 | 3.8% |
Illinois share of Terrence's total US births 9.9%
Even split
7,133 of 72,412 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 50 reporting states.
Terrence appears in 50 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Terrence? ▼
Terrence has been given to 72,412 babies in the U.S. since 1886, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1522 as of the latest data. 1,497 babies were born in 1955, its single highest year.
When was Terrence most popular? ▼
Terrence was most popular in the 1950s decade with 12,833 total births. The single peak year was 1955.
Where is Terrence most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Terrence are Illinois (7,133 births), New York (6,945 births), Ohio (4,883 births).
How long has the name Terrence been used? ▼
Records for Terrence go back to 1886, giving 140 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Terrence? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Terry, Terrance, Terrell, Terence, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Terrence's data
- Terrence's decade-level peak was the 1950s (12,833 total births); usage has since declined to 829 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Terrences (7,133 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Illinois 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 Terrence
Nearby Names Like Terrence
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Terrence
Terry Boy
#1186 424,523 births
Terrance Boy
#1292 70,170 births
Terrell Boy
#1496 36,502 births
Terence Boy
#2922 34,290 births
Terrill Boy
#11053 4,365 births
Compare Terrence side by side: Terrence vs Terry Terrence vs Terrance Terrence vs Terrell
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Terrence
Hampton #1521
4,780 births · Peak 2025
Ivar #1523
1,468 births · Peak 2025
Finnian #1520
3,206 births · Peak 2016
Ranger #1524
1,518 births · Peak 2022
Taylen #1519
2,206 births · Peak 2021
Sulaiman #1525
1,872 births · Peak 2023
Adnan #1518
2,996 births · Peak 2023
Jiovanni #1526
2,630 births · Peak 2023
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, 1886–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Terrence: #1522 Boys' Name - 72,412 Births, Peak 1955." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/terrence. 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 Terrence 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.