Total births
424,523
Unisex name · since 1880
Terry
Terry has 424,523 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1957 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1186
- among boys today
- 424,523
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
424,523 babies have been named Terry since 1880, making it today's #1186 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Terry recorded 424,523 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #1186 nationally today, ahead of 92% of boys, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1186 among boys today
- 424,523 born since 1880
- 1950s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Terry is currently the #1186 unisex name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 424,523 born since 1880, peaking in the 1950s.
- #1186
- among boys today
- 424,523
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Terry vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1186
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Terry was born in this single decade.
1957
Single peak year
15,624 babies were named Terry in 1957 - its busiest year on record.
How Terry compares
424,523 Top 1% higher than 99% 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
Terry's all-time total is 1,157x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Terry | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 424,523 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 15,624 | 23 | 22,252 |
Terry's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Terry splits its recorded history at 1953: 70% of all births land in the more recent half, 30% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1891 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1957 peak of 15,624 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Terry at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1957
Current rank
#1,186
Active since
1880
Terry popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1957)
- 15,624
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Terry popularity over time - girls
96,955 total births recorded since 1892 (Terry as girls' name)
Terry by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Terry's strongest decade.
140,724 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Terry births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 98
1880s
98 births
- 1890s 118
1890s
118 births
- 1900s 186
1900s
186 births
- 1910s 711
1910s
711 births
- 1920s 1,646
1920s
1,646 births
- 1930s 11,025
1930s
11,025 births
- 1940s
1940s
76,965 births
- 1950s
1950s
140,724 births
- 1960s
1960s
101,489 births
- 1970s 42,426
1970s
42,426 births
- 1980s 24,157
1980s
24,157 births
- 1990s 13,040
1990s
13,040 births
- 2000s 6,638
2000s
6,638 births
- 2010s 4,047
2010s
4,047 births
- 2020s 1,253
2020s
1,253 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 140,724 births (33% of all-time use).
How Terry 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 Terry's total volume
Terry vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Terry by state
Where Terry concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ohio | | 27,828 | 6.6% |
| #2 | Texas | | 25,716 | 6.1% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 23,844 | 5.6% |
| #4 | California | | 23,603 | 5.6% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 21,239 | 5.0% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 19,069 | 4.5% |
| #7 | Indiana | | 17,522 | 4.1% |
| #8 | Tennessee | | 17,228 | 4.1% |
Ohio share of Terry's total US births 6.6%
Even split
27,828 of 424,523 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Terry appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Terry? ▼
424,523 babies have been named Terry since 1880. It currently ranks #1186 among boys. The peak year was 1957 with 15,624 births.
When was Terry most popular? ▼
Terry was most popular in the 1950s decade with 140,724 total births. The single peak year was 1957.
Where is Terry most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Terry are Ohio (27,828 births), Texas (25,716 births), Illinois (23,844 births).
Is Terry a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Terry is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 424,523 births, and as a girl's name it has 96,955 births.
How long has the name Terry been used? ▼
Records for Terry go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Terry? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Terrence, Terrance, Terrell, Terence, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Terry's data
- Terry's decade-level peak was the 1950s (140,724 total births); usage has since declined to 1,253 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Ohio records the most Terrys (27,828 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Ohio 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 Terry
Nearby Names Like Terry
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Terry
Terrence Boy
#1522 72,412 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 Terry side by side: Terry vs Terrence Terry vs Terrance Terry vs Terrell
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Terry
Yazan #1185
2,032 births · Peak 2025
Vaughn #1187
21,364 births · Peak 1949
Ayman #1184
2,880 births · Peak 2025
Decker #1188
2,842 births · Peak 2022
Bilal #1183
5,858 births · Peak 2018
Bishop #1189
6,980 births · Peak 2021
Jamal #1182
33,235 births · Peak 1993
Scottie #1190
11,157 births · Peak 1971
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Terry: #1186 Unisex Name - 424,523 Births, Peak 1957." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/terry. 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 Terry 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.