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Home › Baby Names Directory › Terris

Terris

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Terris

Pronounced TERR-iss /ˈtɛrɪs/Medium

Meaning: Terris reads as a surname used as a first name, plausibly linked to Terrence (from the Roman family name Terentius) or to English and Scottish surnames formed from place-names and from Terry. Terentius has no certain meaning, sometimes tied to Latin 'terere', 'to rub or thresh'. Terris is best read as a surname-style boy's name carrying that Terry and Terrence flavor rather than a single clear root.Low

In 30 seconds: Terris is a surname-style boy's name, likely linked to Terrence or Terry, of debated origin. It stayed rare in the United States (said TERR-iss).
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Origin LowEnglish, Latin
MeaningTerris reads as a surname used as a first name, plausibly linked to Terrence (from the Roman family name Terentius) or to English and Scottish surnames formed from place-names and from Terry. Terentius has no certain meaning, sometimes tied to Latin 'terere', 'to rub or thresh'. Terris is best read as a surname-style boy's name carrying that Terry and Terrence flavor rather than a single clear root.
U.S. rank (2017)#10652 ↘ Falling
2017 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1970
Total births (all-time)≈ 837

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197019452017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Terris looks like a surname pressed into service as a given name, a common American habit. It sits near Terrence, from the Roman Terentius whose meaning is uncertain, and near the everyday short form Terry. The exact route for Terris is not documented, so we trace the neighborhood honestly rather than fix a single origin.

It was never common, appearing for only a couple of dozen boys a year around 1970 before thinning out. A boy given it then is in his mid-fifties now. It reads as a lean, understated name with a surname's backbone.

Did you know? Terris carries the Terry and Terrence sound in a surname shape, the kind of family name that quietly moved into first-name use in twentieth-century America.
Overall data confidence 35%
References - Terris — Surname-style name near Terrence/Terry; origin debated

Variations

TerrenceTerranceTerryFerris

Nicknames

TerryTerrRis

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Terris…

Terrence— a likely parent name behind the sound
Terrell— a like surname-style boy's name of the era
Ferris— a near-rhyming surname-as-first-name
Travis— another surname-flavored boy's name in feel

Explore names like Terris

By themeuncertainenglishsurname-name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Terris mean?

It is a surname-style name likely linked to Terrence or Terry; the exact origin is debated, which we note.

How do you pronounce Terris?

It's said TERR-iss /ˈtɛrɪs/, two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Terris a boy or girl name?

Terris is used as a boy's name.

Is Terris a popular name?

No, it has always been rare, a surname-style name that peaked quietly around the start of the nineteen-seventies.

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