Terence first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Terence has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Terence

A masculine name of Latin origin meaning "tender" or "harvester".

Popularity of Terence by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Terence is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Terence being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 37 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Terence.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 37 0
2022 60 0
2021 56 0
2020 59 0
2019 77 0
2018 70 0
2017 80 0
2016 97 0
2015 101 0
2014 111 0
2013 116 0
2012 135 0
2011 127 0
2010 143 0
2009 129 0
2008 130 0
2007 145 0
2006 138 0
2005 122 0
2004 136 0
2003 177 0
2002 148 0
2001 164 0
2000 202 0
1999 223 0
1998 204 0
1997 172 0
1996 247 0
1995 289 0
1994 343 0
1993 357 0
1992 437 0
1991 425 0
1990 482 0
1989 572 7
1988 595 7
1987 481 9
1986 504 8
1985 549 12
1984 548 6
1983 524 0
1982 479 7
1981 412 0
1980 396 0
1979 380 0
1978 407 8
1977 425 0
1976 421 0
1975 480 8
1974 485 6

The history of the first name Terence

The given name Terence originated from the Roman family name Terentius, which was derived from the Latin word "terere" meaning "to rub". This name first came into use around the 3rd century BC in ancient Rome.

During the classical period, the name was borne by the renowned Roman playwright Publius Terentius Afer, also known as Terence, who lived from around 195-159 BC. His comedic plays, such as "The Eunuch" and "The Brothers", were highly influential in the development of Roman literature and theater.

The name Terence gained popularity throughout the Roman Empire and continued to be used during the Middle Ages. One notable figure was Saint Terence, a 3rd-century Christian martyr who was allegedly a Roman soldier executed for his faith under the reign of Emperor Decius.

In the 12th century, Terence was the name of a renowned philosopher and grammarian from the University of Paris, known as Terrentius the Grammarian or Terrentius of Arles. His works on Latin grammar and literature were widely studied in medieval Europe.

During the Renaissance, the name was borne by the Italian humanist and scholar Terence Basini (1483-1542), who was renowned for his expertise in classical literature and his translations of ancient Greek and Latin texts.

Another notable figure was the Irish playwright and satirist Terence O'Flaherty (1828-1908), better known by his pen name Bernard Shaw. His works, such as "Pygmalion" and "Man and Superman", were highly acclaimed and influential in the world of theater.

Terence V. Powderly (1849-1924) was an American labor leader and the head of the Knights of Labor, one of the most important labor organizations in the late 19th century, advocating for better working conditions and workers' rights.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Terence was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Terence, please contact us.

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"Terence first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/terence-meaning-and-history/.

"Terence first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/terence-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Terence first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/terence-meaning-and-history/.

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