Terrell Boy

Popularity: #825 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: TER-uhl //ˈtɛr.əl//

Origin: English; French

Meaning: English: to pull; French: to tear

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Terrell has its roots in the Old French name "Tirel," which is derived from the Latin word "terra," meaning "earth" or "land." The name evolved through various forms, including the Middle English "Tirelle," before being anglicized to Terrell. This linguistic journey reflects the influence of Norman culture on the English language following the Norman Conquest of 1066, which introduced a multitude of French names into English vernacular.

Historically, the name Terrell can be traced back to the medieval period, where it was used as a surname before becoming a given name. The surname Tirel was recorded in England as early as the 12th century, and it was associated with landowners and nobility, suggesting a connection to the earth and land ownership.

The name's association with the earth may have contributed to its symbolic significance, representing stability and grounding. Culturally, Terrell has been linked to various traditions and has appeared in literature and historical texts.

While not as prominent as some other names, it has maintained a presence in English-speaking cultures. The name can also be found in diminutive forms such as Terry, which has been used as a nickname or affectionate form.

The enduring nature of Terrell can be attributed to its solid etymological roots and the cultural values associated with land and stability, which resonate across generations.

Famous people named Terrell

In this section, you will find notable people named Terrell. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Terrell who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Terrell who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Terrell Owens is a former professional American football wide receiver best known for his time with the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Terrell, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

TrevonTalonTannerTobiasTroyTate

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Terrell. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

DarnellJerrellMarcellKarellDarrellTerenceTorranceTrevon

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Terrell was first seen in the United States in 1885.

Terrell has ranked as high as #523 nationally, which occurred in 1989, and has been most popular in Illinois, Georgia, New York, Florida, and California.

In the past 5 years the name Terrell has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Terrell is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Terrell was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Terrell.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 113 113 0
2024 120 120 0
2023 109 109 0
2022 161 161 0
2021 177 177 0
2020 173 173 0
2019 190 190 0
2018 215 215 0
2017 245 245 0
2016 229 229 0
2015 248 248 0
2014 276 276 0
2013 322 322 0
2012 350 350 0
2011 383 383 0
2010 378 378 0
2009 451 451 0
2008 486 480 6
2007 521 521 0
2006 505 500 5
2005 524 519 5
2004 512 512 0
2003 516 516 0
2002 503 503 0
2001 537 531 6
2000 614 608 6
1999 712 705 7
1998 871 862 9
1997 688 688 0
1996 679 669 10
1995 718 696 22
1994 746 734 12
1993 863 847 16
1992 864 849 15
1991 960 949 11
1990 945 925 20
1989 1,004 983 21
1988 944 918 26
1987 883 868 15
1986 885 857 28
1985 913 890 23
1984 833 801 32
1983 737 713 24
1982 703 682 21
1981 636 600 36
1980 631 604 27
1979 626 593 33
1978 524 502 22
1977 621 591 30
1976 536 502 34
1975 536 492 44
1974 379 339 40
1973 402 364 38
1972 398 352 46
1971 404 345 59
1970 417 354 63
1969 365 319 46
1968 345 297 48
1967 364 327 37
1966 270 247 23
1965 262 243 19
1964 252 220 32
1963 277 254 23
1962 250 226 24
1961 227 207 20
1960 249 219 30
1959 248 221 27
1958 299 263 36
1957 243 213 30
1956 224 201 23
1955 226 199 27
1954 219 195 24
1953 196 178 18
1952 201 177 24
1951 215 194 21
1950 226 203 23
1949 229 202 27
1948 244 212 32
1947 200 182 18
1946 211 187 24
1945 150 133 17
1944 148 131 17
1943 126 119 7
1942 119 102 17
1941 142 130 12
1940 127 119 8
1939 100 88 12
1938 79 72 7
1937 72 67 5
1936 70 65 5
1935 64 64 0
1934 57 57 0
1933 47 47 0
1932 48 48 0
1931 28 28 0
1930 36 36 0
1929 41 41 0
1928 42 42 0
1927 45 45 0
1926 36 36 0
1925 36 36 0
1924 46 46 0
1923 32 32 0
1922 47 42 5
1921 36 36 0
1920 52 47 5
1919 34 34 0
1918 35 35 0
1917 30 30 0
1916 35 35 0
1915 30 30 0
1914 25 25 0
1913 15 15 0
1912 27 27 0
1911 8 8 0
1910 5 5 0
1909 8 8 0
1908 7 7 0
1907 8 8 0
1903 8 8 0
1902 5 5 0
1901 5 5 0
1900 8 8 0
1890 5 5 0
1885 5 5 0

Top States for Terrell (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
FL 12
16%
CA 9
12%
GA 9
12%
IL 9
12%
OH 8
10%
TX 8
10%
SC 6
8%
MI 6
8%
NY 5
6%
WI 5
6%