Tarence
An English variant of the Roman name Terentius of uncertain meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 509 living Americans carry the first name Tarence. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Tarence today is around 40 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tarence births was 1985 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tarence. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
509
~ 1 in 673,388 Americans
Peak year
1985
20 babies that year
Average age
40
years old
2011 SSA rank
#10,647
Tracked since 1962
Popularity
Tarence: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tarence from the 1960s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 151 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tarence by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Tarence during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Tarence
The name Tarence is derived from the Latin name Terentius, which itself is derived from the Roman family name Terentius. The name Terentius is thought to have originated from the Etruscan town of Tarracina, located in what is now central Italy. The earliest known use of the name Terentius dates back to ancient Rome, where it was a relatively common name among Roman citizens.
One of the most famous historical figures to bear the name Terentius was the Roman playwright Publius Terentius Afer, better known simply as Terence. Born around 195 BC in Carthage, Terence was a prolific playwright who wrote several comedies that were highly influential in the development of Roman literature. His plays, such as "The Eunuch" and "The Brothers," were widely acclaimed for their wit and insight into human nature.
Another notable figure with the name Terentius was Terentius Maximus, a Roman consul who lived in the 3rd century AD. Terentius Maximus played a significant role in the Roman Empire's military campaigns against the Alemanni, a confederation of Germanic tribes that frequently raided Roman territories along the Rhine River.
In the early Christian era, the name Terentius was sometimes used by Christian martyrs and saints. One such figure was Saint Terentius, a 3rd-century Roman soldier who was executed for his Christian faith during the persecutions under the Roman emperor Decius.
During the Middle Ages, the name Terentius evolved into various forms, including Tarence and Terence. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Terence of Bethlehem, a 12th-century monk and author who wrote a widely-read commentary on the Bible.
In more recent history, the name Tarence has seen occasional use, though it remains relatively uncommon. One notable figure with this spelling of the name was Tarence Ray, an American jazz musician and composer who was born in 1935 and passed away in 1998.
Overall, the name Tarence has a rich history that spans centuries, from its roots in ancient Rome to its occasional use in modern times. While not as widely popular as some other names, it has been borne by a diverse array of individuals, from playwrights and soldiers to monks and musicians.
People
Tarence + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tarence as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Tarence: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tarence?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 509 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tarence going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 673,388 US residents.
Is Tarence a common name?
We classify Tarence as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 537 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tarence most popular?
The single biggest year for Tarence was 1985, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tarence is about 40 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tarence a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tarence in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.