NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Teri

A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "to harvest".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Teri is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Teri popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 68 births.

This profile covers 379 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 1996 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 4% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 713 living people in the UK are called Teri. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2023 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Teri ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1997, when 68 girls were registered as Teri.
  • Teri ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #413 in 2007.
  • About 713 living people in the UK are estimated to have Teri as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5669

2022

Births in 2022

3

Latest year

Peak year

1997

68 births

Estimated living

713

2026

Meaning

What does Teri mean?

The name Teri is a diminutive form of the feminine name Theresa, which has its origins in the Greek language. Theresa is derived from the Greek word "therizo," meaning "to harvest" or "to reap." The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in Christian communities, as it was associated with Saint Teresa of Avila, a renowned Spanish mystic and reformer who lived from 1515 to 1582.

Teri emerged as a shortened version of Theresa, likely originating in English-speaking countries. The earliest recorded use of the name Teri can be traced back to the 19th century, although it became more widely adopted in the 20th century.

One of the earliest notable figures with the name Teri was Teri Garr, an American actress born in 1947. She is best known for her roles in films such as "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie." Another famous Teri was Teri Hatcher, an American actress born in 1964, who gained widespread recognition for her role as Susan Mayer in the television series "Desperate Housewives."

In the realm of literature, Teri Garr, an American author and poet, published several works in the late 20th century, including "Lyrics for the Living" and "Bones of Birds." Additionally, Teri Polo, an American actress born in 1969, is known for her roles in films like "Meet the Parents" and its sequels.

In the world of sports, Teri Ganong was a notable figure, born in 1958. She was an American professional wrestler and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015. Furthermore, Teri McKeever, born in 1962, is an American swimming coach who has led the University of California, Berkeley women's swimming and diving team to numerous championships.

While the name Teri has its roots in Greek and Christian traditions, it has transcended cultural and linguistic boundaries, becoming a popular name in various parts of the world. Its diminutive form and easy pronunciation have contributed to its widespread use across different regions and communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Teri over time

The chart below shows babies named Teri registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Teri, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 68 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Teri
017345168199620092022

Decades

Teri by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Teri was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #5669 3 1
2010s #3763 26 4
2000s #1824 146 10
1990s #538 204 4

Geography

Where Teri is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Teri. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Teri ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #413 in 2007.

Scotland
5
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Teri in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#552 in 2007

31 years of NRS records, 331 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#413 in 2007

3 years of NISRA records, 10 total registered

Related

Names similar to Teri

FAQ

Teri: questions and answers

How popular is the name Teri in the UK right now?

In 2022, Teri was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Teri most popular?

The peak year on record was 1997, with 68 babies registered as Teri in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Teri?

A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "to harvest".

How many people are called Teri in the UK?

A total of 379 babies have been registered as Teri across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 331 more in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Teri most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Teri ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #413 in 2007. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.