Meaning & Origin
A surname originating as a patronymic from the medieval Norman given name Thierry, a cognate of the English Derek.
Terry is a boy's and girl's baby name of Germanic origin, anglicized from the medieval Norman name Thierry, derived from the Germanic Theodoric, meaning "ruler of the people" — combining theud (people) and ric (ruler, power). It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest.
Terry was a U.S. top 30 name in the 1950s and 1960s. Director Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame and football legend Terry Bradshaw demonstrate the name's broad cultural range. Its casual ease and friendly sound made it a defining mid-century American name for both boys and girls.