Terra
Girl name · #2416 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Terra? In official American birth records, Terra has been tracked continuously since 1940, giving it 85 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 74 baby girls were named Terra, placing it at #2416 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2080, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 24,324 girls born in 2025 was named Terra.
The 85-year story
Terra first appears in the Social Security records in 1940, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1980, when 604 girls were named Terra — good for #379 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.
Babies named Terra per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Terra against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Terra in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Terra is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Terra will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Terra is most common
State-level data for Terra 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 Terra
Statistically, parents drawn to Terra tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Trisha, Janna, Keisha, Tara, and Katrina.
TrishaJannaKeishaTaraKatrinaElishaAdriaCara
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Terra | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 74 | #2410 |
| 2024 | 71 | #2508 |
| 2023 | 90 | #2124 |
| 2022 | 87 | #2174 |
| 2021 | 79 | #2309 |
| 2020 | 81 | #2216 |
| 2019 | 87 | #2140 |
| 2018 | 81 | #2254 |
| 2017 | 88 | #2160 |
| 2016 | 97 | #2033 |
| 2015 | 94 | #2080 |
| 2014 | 85 | #2213 |
| 2013 | 84 | #2211 |
| 2012 | 102 | #1929 |
| 2011 | 88 | #2156 |
| 2010 | 80 | #2360 |
| 2009 | 92 | #2165 |
| 2008 | 99 | #2062 |
| 2007 | 99 | #2059 |
| 2006 | 96 | #2050 |
| 2005 | 128 | #1589 |
| 2004 | 101 | #1871 |
| 2003 | 131 | #1486 |
| 2002 | 137 | #1404 |
| 2001 | 118 | #1573 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Terra?
In official American birth records, the name Terra first appeared in 1940 (over 85 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 85 years.
Is Terra a popular girl name?
Terra ranked #2416 among girls in 2025 with 74 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2080.
When was the name Terra most popular?
Terra peaked in 1980, when 604 American girls received the name (ranked #379 that year). Since 1980 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Terra?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 24,324 newborn American girls was named Terra. 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.