Terence
Boy name · #2723 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Terence? In official American birth records, Terence has been tracked continuously since 1885, giving it 140 years of documented American history.
Terence ranks #2723 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 47 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1588, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 38,298 boys born in 2025 was named Terence.
Babies named Terence per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 140-year story
Terence first appears in the Social Security records in 1885, when 9 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1964, when 1,014 boys were named Terence — good for #241 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 Terence against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Terence in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Terence is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Terence will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Terence is most common
State-level data for Terence is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Terence
Statistically, parents drawn to Terence tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Terrence, Laurence, Terrance, Dewayne, and Lance.
TerrenceLaurenceTerranceDewayneLanceVinceStevieTyrone
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Terence | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | #2718 |
| 2024 | 43 | #2915 |
| 2023 | 37 | #3228 |
| 2022 | 61 | #2325 |
| 2021 | 56 | #2410 |
| 2020 | 59 | #2292 |
| 2019 | 77 | #1917 |
| 2018 | 70 | #2046 |
| 2017 | 81 | #1829 |
| 2016 | 97 | #1641 |
| 2015 | 101 | #1588 |
| 2014 | 111 | #1465 |
| 2013 | 116 | #1427 |
| 2012 | 135 | #1293 |
| 2011 | 127 | #1331 |
| 2010 | 143 | #1232 |
| 2009 | 129 | #1341 |
| 2008 | 130 | #1329 |
| 2007 | 145 | #1215 |
| 2006 | 138 | #1214 |
| 2005 | 122 | #1272 |
| 2004 | 136 | #1152 |
| 2003 | 177 | #926 |
| 2002 | 148 | #1033 |
| 2001 | 164 | #944 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Terence?
In official American birth records, the name Terence first appeared in 1885 (over 140 years ago), when 9 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Terence a popular boy name?
Terence ranked #2723 among boys in 2025 with 47 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1588.
When was the name Terence most popular?
Terence peaked in 1964, when 1,014 American boys received the name (ranked #241 that year). Since 1964 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Terence?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 38,298 newborn American boys was named Terence. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.