Terrence is a beloved traditional baby name for boys. Known for its common nicknames and derivatives, this name was a staple in 20th-century American culture. Terrence “Terry” McGinnis is the name of a main character in the DC Comics universe, and Terrence “Scooter” Williams was a character in the iconic Living Single series. Keep reading to learn more about this baby name.
Meaning and Origin of the name Terrence:
Terrance is a boy's name meaning “heart” or “prompting.”
Terrence has two possible origins. Foremost, Terrence derives from the Roman family name Terentius. Although the exact Roman definition is unclear, etymologists speculate that Terentius was a Latin name borrowed from the Old Aramaic word לבא (meaning “heart”). Alternatively, Terrence is also an anglicized version of the Old Irish name Toirdhealbhach. This name originated from the Old Gaelic word toirdhealbh (meaning “instigation” or “prompting”).
Symbolism of the name Terrence:
Terrence derives from the Roman family name Terentius or as the anglicized version of the Old Irish name Toirdhealbhach (meaning “prompting”). In Old Irish culture, Toirdhealbhach was also an epithet of the Celtic god Porr. The symbol of Porr was the thunderbolt.
Nicknames for the name Terrence:
Terrence doesn't have very many options for nicknames. The most common nickname is Terry and there are a few different spelling variations. Below is a list of possible nicknames you may want to use for your baby boy.
- Terry
- Terri
- Terrie
- Tee
- Tay
- Ren
Style of the name Terrence:
Traditional
Gender of the name Terrence:
Gender is a boy's baby name.
Pronunciation of the name Terrence:
TEHR-əns
Number of syllables in the name Terrence:
Two
Emotion evoked from the name Terrence:
The name Terrence evokes feelings of trust and triumph.
Alternative spellings for the name Terrence:
- Terence
- Terrance
- Terance
Popularity of the name Terrence:
According to the Social Security Administration index, Terrence was the 1,134th most popular baby name for boys in 2020.
Related names for the name Terrence:
Great middle names for Terrence and their meanings:
- Aidan (little fire)
- Blane (yellow, gold)
- Carter (transporter of goods)
- Dexter (right-handed, skilled, dyer of textiles)
- Ethan (solid, enduring, firm)
- Garrett (spear strength)
- Hezekiah (God is my strength)
- Nelson (son of the champion)
- Otto (wealth, fortune)
- Pierre (stone, rock)
- Ringo (ring, apple, rose)
- Wolfgang (path of the wolf)
Famous people with the name Terrence:
- Terrence Adrian Clarke (basketball player)
- Terrence Edwards (football player)
- Terrance Eugene Ferguson Jr. (basketball player)
- Terrence Dashon Howard (actor)
- Terrence Jenkins (model and television show host)
- Terrence Frederick Malick (film director)
- Terrence Rønnestad Oglesby (basketball player)
- Terrence Michael Pegula (businessman)
- Terrence Vincent Upchurch (politician)
- Terrence Kentrell Williams (actor)
Terrence in popular culture:
- Terrence “Terry” McGinnis (character in the DC Comics universe)
- Terrence “Scooter” Williams (character in the Living Single series)
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Evgeny Atamanenko/Shutterstock.com.