Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a

diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A (abbreviated ) is a word-formati ...

nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence or Terrier (masculine).

People

Male

Terry Albritton Terence Hillary Albritton (January 14, 1955 – September 1, 2005) was an American track and field athlete, former shot put world record holder, and coach. Career Albritton was born in Newport Beach, California and attended Newport Harbor High S ...

(1955–2005), American shot putter, world record holder in 1976 * Terry Antonis (born 1993), Australian association football player * Terry A. Davis, (1969–2018), American programmer *

Terry Baddoo Terry Baddoo is a television executive and a former TV host. He is half-English and half-Ghanaian, and lives in the USA. Biography Baddoo was born in London, England, and earned a bachelor's degree in Education from London University. He began h ...

, CNN journalist * Terry Balsamo (born 1972), American lead guitarist for the rock band Evanescence * Terry Beckner (born 1997), American football player * Terry Bollea (born 1953), professional wrestler, better known by his ring name

Hulk Hogan Terry Eugene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 19 ...

* Terry Bowden (born 1956), American football coach and former player * Terry Bradshaw (born 1948), American former National Football League quarterback * Terry Branstad (born 1946), American politician * Terry Brooks (born 1944), American fantasy writer * Terry Brooks (basketball) (born c. 1968), American college basketball player * Terry Brunk (born 1964), professional wrestler known as "Sabu" * Terry Byrne (born 1966), English football manager and businessman * Terry Caldwell (born 1938), English footballer * Terry Callier (1945–2012), American jazz and folk singer and guitarist * Terry Carpenter (1900–1978), American politician * Terry Cochrane (born 1953), Northern Irish footballer * Terry Cochrane (Canadian football) (born 1963), Canadian football player * Terry Coldwell, member of the pop group East 17 * Terry Cooper (footballer, born 1944), English footballer * Terry Connor (born 1962), English football assistant manager and former coach and player * Terry Crews (born 1968), American actor and retired football player *

Terry Daniel Terry Daniel is a former American football punter who played college football at Auburn University. He was a consensus All-American in 1993. Mississippi State Bulldogs coach Jackie Sherrill accused Daniel of filling footballs with helium Heli ...

, American college football punter (1992–1994) * Terry Deitz (born 1959) American Survivor contestant and television host * Terry Dubrow (born 1958), American plastic surgeon and television personality * Terry Etim (born 1986), English professional mixed martial artist currently signed to the UFC * Terry Fair (basketball) (1960–2020), American-Israeli professional basketball player * Terry Farnsworth (born 1942), Canadian Olympic judoka * Terry Fator (born 1965), American singing ventriloquist * Terry Fontenot (born 1980), American football executive * Terry Fox (1958–1981), Canadian athlete and activist * Terry Francona (born 1959), American professional baseball manager and former player * Terry Funk (born 1944), American professional wrestler * Terry Gilliam (born 1940), British-American film director, and Monty Python member * Terry Godwin (born 1996), American football player * Terry Goodkind (1948–2020), American fantasy author *

Terry Haskins Terry Edward Haskins (January 31, 1955 – October 24, 2000) was a South Carolina Republican politician who served as the Speaker pro-tempore of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1995 until his death five years later. Background ...

(1955–2000), American politician * Terry Jones (1942–2020), Welsh actor, writer, comedian, screenwriter, film director and Monty Python member * Terry Kath (1946–1978), American guitarist, singer and founding member of the band Chicago * Terry Kay (1938–2020), American writer * Terry Kelly (singer), Canadian singer-songwriter, speaker, and entertainer * Terry Kilgore (born 1961), American politician *

Terry Kunz Terry Tim Kunz (born October 26, 1952) is a former American football running back who played one season with the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the eighth round of the 1976 NFL Draft. K ...

(born 1952), American football player * Terry Labonte (born 1956), American retired NASCAR driver * Terry Lin (born 1966), Taiwanese singer * Terry Malone, American football coach * Terry Manning, American music producer and engineer * Terry McAuliffe (born 1957), American politician; former Governor of Virginia and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee * Terry McDermott (born 1951), English footballer * Terry McEniff, Irish hotelier and politician *

Terry McGroom Terry McGroom (March 16, 1966 – April 17, 2016) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2004. He challenged for the IBF cruiserweight title in 2001. Early life McGroom attended Wells High School in Chicago, which was "f ...

(1966–2016), American boxer * Terry McLaurin (born 1996), American football player *

Terry Metcalf Terrance Randolph Metcalf (born September 24, 1951) is a former American football running back who played six total seasons in the National Football League (NFL), five of them with the St. Louis Cardinals and one with the Washington Redskin ...

(born 1951), American football player *

Terry Moore (disambiguation) Terry Moore may refer to: *Terry Moore (actress) (born 1929), American film actress * Terry Moore (Australian footballer) (born 1951), Australian rules footballer *Terry Moore (baseball) (1912–1995), American Major League Baseball player * Te ...

, multiple people * Terry Moran (born 1959), American journalist, former co-anchor of the news show ''Nightline'' * Terry Moran (public servant) (born 1947), Australian senior public servant * Terry Nation, Welsh screenwriter and novelist, creator of the Daleks and Davros for Doctor Who * Terry Nichols, US convicted accomplice in the Oklahoma City bombing * Terry O'Quinn (born 1952), American actor best known for playing John Locke on the TV series ''Lost'' * Terry Pilkadaris (born 1973), Australian golfer * Terry Pratchett (1948–2015), English fantasy author known for the '' Discworld'' book series * Terry Richardson (born 1965), American fashion photographer *

Terry Richardson (ice hockey) Terrance Paul Richardson (born May 7, 1953) is a Canadian retired ice hockey goaltender. He played 20 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues between 1973 and 1979. The rest of his career, which lasted fr ...

(born 1953), Canadian ice hockey player *

Terry Richardson (rugby league) Terrence "Terry" Richardson (birth unknown) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level for England, and at club level for Castleford and Kent Invicta, as a ...

, English rugby league footballer in the 1970s and 1980s * Terry Rozier (born 1994), American basketball player * Terry Sanford (1917–1998), American politician and educator, Governor of North Carolina (1961–1965) * Terry Saul (1921–1976),

Choctaw The Choctaw (in the Choctaw language, Chahta) are a Native American people originally based in the Southeastern Woodlands, in what is now Alabama and Mississippi. Their Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choctaw people are ...

/ Chickasaw illustrator, painter, muralist, commercial artist, and educator. *

Terry Schofield George Terence Schofield (born June 16, 1948) is an American former basketball player and coach. He played college basketball with the UCLA Bruins, winning three national championships (1969–1971) under Coach John Wooden. Schofield played profes ...

(born 1948), American basketball player and coach *

Terry Stotts Terry Linn Stotts (born November 25, 1957) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After a playing as a ...

(born 1957), American basketball coach *

Terry Sweeney Terry Sweeney is an American artist, actor, and writer. He was a writer and cast member of ''Saturday Night Live'' in the 1980s, co-wrote the 1989 film '' Shag'', and has written for the television ''series MADtv'', ''Hype'', and ''Tripping the R ...

(born 1950), American actor, writer and comedian on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serve ...

'' *

Terry Sue-Patt Terence Anthony "Terry" Sue-Patt (19 September 1964 – circa May 2015)Simon Hattenston"Terry Sue-Patt: what became of the boy who was Grange Hill's Benny Green?" ''The Guardian'', 27 June 2015 was a British actor, best known for playing Benny Gr ...

(1964–2015), British actor *

Terry Teachout Terrance Alan Teachout (February 6, 1956 – January 13, 2022) was an American author, critic, biographer, playwright, stage director, and librettist. He was the drama critic of ''The Wall Street Journal'', the critic-at-large of '' Commentary ...

(1956–2022), American author, critic, biographer, playwright, stage director, and librettist. *

Terry Virgo Terry Virgo (born 20 February 1940) is a prominent leader in the British New Church Movement, formerly known as the House Church Movement. He is the founder of the Newfrontiers family of neocharismatic evangelical churches, which has grown into ...

(born 1940), a leader in the British New Church Movement *

Terry Wogan Sir Michael Terence Wogan (; 3 August 1938 – 31 January 2016) was an Irish radio and television broadcaster who worked for the BBC in the UK for most of his career. Between 1993 and his semi-retirement in December 2009, his BBC Radio 2 week ...

(1938–2016), Irish-British broadcaster and television personality *

Terry Yorath Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albritton (1955–2005), Am ...

(born 1950), Welsh former football manager and player *

Terry Zwigoff Terry Zwigoff (born May 18, 1949) is an American filmmaker whose work often deals with misfits, antiheroes, and themes of alienation. He first garnered attention for his work in documentary filmmaking with ''Louie Bluie'' (1985) and '' Crumb'' (19 ...

(born 1949), American documentary and feature film director

Female

Terry Alderete Theresa Eleanor "Terry" Roderick-Alderete (May 17, 1945 in San Jose, California – March 21, 2013 in Newark, California) was an American businesswoman from the Bay Area. After working for Pacific Bell for thirty years, she started her own cons ...

(1945–2013), American businesswoman *

Terry Babcock-Lumish Terry Babcock-Lumish is an American professor, entrepreneur, and policymaker. She is the Executive Secretary of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. Early life Babcock-Lumish was born in Miami, Florida. Her father, Dr. Robert Lumish, wa ...

(born 1976), American professor *

Terry Baum Terry Joan Baum (born 1946) is an American feminist playwright, known for her treatment of lesbian experience. Biography In 1970, Baum worked as personal aide to Bella Abzug in her Congressional campaign. In 1972, at graduate school at the Univ ...

(born 1946), American playwright *

Terry Bellamy Terry M. Bellamy is the former mayor of Asheville, North Carolina. She was first elected to the Asheville City Council in 1999 and won re‑election in 2003. She was elected mayor in November 2005, defeating incumbent Mayor Charles Worley in the ...

, American former mayor *

Terry Bergeson Teresa M. Bergeson (born October 5, 1942) is a former three-term Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Biography Dr. Bergeson graduated from Emmanuel College in 1964 with a B.A. in English. In 1969, she earned a master's degree ...

(born 1942), American educator *

Terry Berkowitz Terry Berkowitz (born Brooklyn, New York) creates installations, videos, photography, audio and objects dealing with social and political critique, social consciousness and the human condition. Beginning in the early seventies, she has shown in ...

, American video artist *

Terry Berlier Terry Berlier (born 1972, in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an artist and sculptor whose work addresses themes of the environment and queer practice. Life Berlier holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Miami University in Ohio and a Master of Fine Arts ...

(born 1972), American artist and sculptor *

Terry Beyer Elizabeth Terry Beyer (born January 26, 1951) is a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. She served in the Oregon House of Representatives representing District 12 in the city of Springfield from 2001 to 2013. Early life and ca ...

(born 1951), American politician *

Terry Braunstein (artist) Terry Braunstein (née Malikin; born 1942) is a photomontage artist based in Long Beach, California.''Who is She? Terry Braunstein'' (Thistle & Weed Press, South Pasadena 2016). Her work has used multiple media – photography, installation, assemb ...

(born 1942), American photomontage artist *

Terry Castle Terry Castle (born October 18, 1953) is an American literary scholar. Once described by Susan Sontag as "the most expressive, most enlightening literary critic at large today," she has published eight books, including the anthology ''The Literatu ...

(born 1953), American scholar *

Terry Cole-Whittaker Terry Cole-Whittaker (born December 3, 1939, in Los Angeles), or Dr. Terry, is a New Thought author and United Church of Religious Science minister, and the founder of Terry Cole-Whittaker Ministries and Adventures in Enlightenment. History She ...

(born 1939), American writer *

Terry Acebo Davis Terry Acebo Davis (born 1953) is a Filipino American artist and nurse based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her art is thematically linked to her family and her origins as a Filipino American. Early life and education Born in Oakland, California ...

(born 1953), Filipino-American artist and nurse *

Terry Dexter Terry Dexter is an American contemporary R&B singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actress. Early life Dexter was born in Detroit, Michigan. She has a twin sister, and she describes her ethnicity simply as multiracial. Dexter's fat ...

(born 1978), American singer-songwriter *

Terry Van Duyn Teresa Van Duyn (born September 21, 1951) is a former Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate. She represented District 49, which encompasses most of Asheville and Buncombe County, North Carolina from 2014 until 2021. Early life and ...

(born 1951), Democratic politician *

Terry Ehret Terry Ehret (born 1955 in San Francisco) is an American poet. She has published several collections of poetry including Suspensions, Lost Body, and Translations from the Human Language. Life She graduated from Stanford University in 1977, and fro ...

(born 1955), American poet *

Terry Ellis Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albritton (1955–2005), ...

(born 1963), American singer *

Terry Farrell (actress) Theresa Lee Farrell (born November 19, 1963) is an American actress and fashion model. She is best known for her roles as Jadzia Dax in the television series ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and as Regina "Reggie" Kostas in the comedy series '' B ...

(born 1963), American actress *

Terry Finn Teresa Jo Ann Bernadette "Terry" Finn (born August 6, 1955) is an American actress best known for creating the role of Gussie Carnegie in the original Broadway cast of the Stephen Sondheim/Hal Prince/George Furth musical comedy '' Merrily We R ...

(born 1955), American actress *

Terry Fulmer Teresa Thomas "Terry" Fulmer, (Ph.D., RN, FAAN) is the current President of The John A. Hartford Foundation. Prior positions include distinguished professor and dean of the Bouvé College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University, and Dean ...

, American gerontologist *

Terry Gabreski Terry Lee Gabreski ( Walter; born 1952) is a retired senior officer of the United States Air Force (USAF). She was the second woman to hold the rank of lieutenant general in the USAF.. Her spouse is Col. Donald F. Gabreski. She was the Vice Comman ...

(born 1952), American vice commander *

Terry Van Ginderen Esther Van Ginderen-Verbeeck (8 September 1931 – 30 January 2018), also known as ''Tante Terry'' (Aunt Terry), was a Belgian Flemish-speaking television presenter and businesswoman. She was best known as a host of children's TV shows, often alon ...

(1931–2018), Flemish television presenter *

Terry Hu Terry Hu (; born 21 April 1953) is a Taiwanese actor, writer and translator. Life Early life Hu was born Hu Yinyin in Taichung, Taiwan on April 21, 1953, with her ancestral home in Shenyang, Liaoning, the only child of Qu Shifang (), and Hu ...

(born 1953), Taiwanese actress, writer and translator *

Terry Huntingdon Terry Lynn Huntingdon (born May 8, 1940) is an American actress who began working in film and television roles after winning the title of Miss USA 1959. Early years Huntingdon comes from a family of five-generation Californians. She attended ...

(born 1940), American film actress *

Terry Irwin (designer) Terry Irwin is an American designer, academic and Professor and former Head of the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University. She is a key figure in the development of transition design—an area of design practice, study and research focuse ...

, American designer *

Terry D. Johnston Terry D. Johnston (born May 27, 1947) was an American politician and businesswoman. Johnston went to University of North Dakota and was an insurance agent. She lived in Prior Lake, Minnesota with her husband and family. Johnston served in the Minn ...

(born 1947), American politician and businesswoman *

Terry Karl Terry Lynn Karl (born November 21, 1947) is the Gildred Professor of Latin American Studies and Professor of Political Science specializing in comparative politics in the Political Science Department at Stanford University.

(born 1947), American professor *

Terry Moore (actress) Terry Moore (born Helen Luella Koford; January 7, 1929) is an American film and television actress who began her career as a child actor. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in '' Come Back, ...

(born 1929), American film actress *

Terry M. McGovern Terry M. McGovern is the Harriet and Robert H. Heilbrunn Professor and Chair of the Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Since 2018, she has served as director of the De ...

(born 1961), American activist *

Terry McMillan Terry McMillan (born October 18, 1951) is an American novelist. Her work centers around the experiences of Black women in the United States. Early life McMillan was born in Port Huron, Michigan. She received a B.A. in journalism in 1977 from ...

(born 1951), American novelist *

Terry Meza Thresa "Terry" Meza (born August 1, 1949) is an American politician and attorney serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 105th district. Early life and education Born in Oak Cliff, Dallas, she was raised in Irving ...

(born 1949), American politician *

Terry Neese Terry Neese (born December 1, 1947) is an American businesswoman and politician. She was the first woman nominated by a major political party for the seat of Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma in 1990 and a candidate for Oklahoma's 5th congression ...

, American political figure *

Terry O'Flaherty Terry O'Flaherty is a former Mayor of Galway. A daughter of a previous Mayor, Bridie O'Flaherty, she was guest at the 2004 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Seattle. She was first elected to Galway City Council in 1999 as a member of the Progressiv ...

, Irish mayor *

Terry a. O'Neal Terry a. O'Neal (born June 15, 1973) is an American writer. O'Neal was named one of the century's great Black women writers in a book entitled ''Literary Divas: The Top 100+ Most Admired African-American Women Writers in Literature'' (2006). Bio ...

(born 1973), American writer *

Terry Oroszi Terry Oroszi is an American author. She is a Professor and Vice Chair at Wright State University. Early life and education Oroszi graduated high school in Muscatine, Iowa and announced to her parents that she was putting college on hold, inst ...

(born 1966), American author *

Terry Orr-Weaver Terry L. Orr-Weaver is an American molecular biologist in the MIT Department of Biology with a joint appointment to the Whitehead Institute. She does research on developmental biology, with a focus on " ordination of cell growth and division wit ...

, American molecular biologist *

Terry Plank Terry Ann Plank is an American geochemist, volcanologist and professor of earth science at Columbia College, Columbia University, and the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory. She is a MacArthur Fellows Program, 2012 MacArthur Fellow and member of ...

(born 1963), American volcanologist *

Terry Pheto Moitheri Pheto (born 11 May 1981) is a South African actress who is known for starring in an Oscar-winning film '' Tsotsi'' (2005) and other South African soapies. She had a recurring role of a heart surgeon, Dr. Malaika Maponya, on the Americ ...

(born 1981), South African actress *

Terry Reintke Theresa Reintke (born 9 May 1987) is a German politician who has been serving as a member of the European Parliament from Germany since 2014. She is co-president of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament. She is a member of the Alliance ...

(born 1987), German politician *

Terry Spear Terry Spear born in Sacramento, California, is an American author who specializes in writing paranormal romance novels and medieval romance novels for both adults and teen audiences. Her werewolf paranormal romance series started with ''Heart of ...

, American author *

Terry Underwood Marie Therese "Terry" Underwood (born 19 December 1944) is a best-selling Australian author who lived on a remote cattle station in the Northern Territory of Australia. Early life Underwood was born as Marie Therese Augustus in Albury, New So ...

(born 1944), Australian author *

Terry Wahls Terry Lynn Wahls (born November 9, 1955) is a physician who was an assistant chief of staff at Iowa City Veterans Administration Health Care and is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa. She has a private practice and conduct ...

(born 1955), American physician *

Terry Tempest Williams Terry Tempest Williams (born 8 September 1955), is an American writer, educator, conservationist, and activist. Williams' writing is rooted in the American West and has been significantly influenced by the arid landscape of Utah. Her work foc ...

(born 1955), American writer

Fictional characters

* Terry, a character from ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' * Terry, a Pterosaur, pterodactyl boss character from the video game ''Banjo Tooie'' * Terry Bernadino, a character from ''Reno 911!'' * Terry Bogard, from SNK's ''Fatal Fury'' and ''The King of Fighters'' video games * Terry Carmichael, a character in the 1996 John Woo film ''Broken Arrow (1996 film), Broken Arrow'' * Terry Boot, minor character from the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels, by J. K. Rowling * Terry Chaney, main female character in ''Final Destination (film), Final Destination'' * Terry Collier, fictional character in ''The Likely Lads'' sitcoms and film * Terry "The Toad" Fields, a character in the 1973 American coming-of-age comedy-drama movie ''American Graffiti#Cast, American Graffiti'' * Terrance "Terry" Hawthorne, a character in the 1985 American adventure comedy film ''Pee-wee's Big Adventure#Cast, Pee-wee's Big Adventure'' * Terry Ives, mother of Eleven (Stranger Things), Eleven in the television series Stranger Things, ''Stranger Things'' * Terry Kimple, a character from ''The Cleveland Show'' * Terry Lee, main character of the comic strip ''Terry and the Pirates (comic strip), Terry and the Pirates'' * Terry Malloy, main protagonist of the 1954 crime drama film ''On the Waterfront'' * Terry McCann, from the TV series Minder (TV series), ''Minder'' played by Dennis Waterman * Terry McScotty, one of the main characters in the anime series ''Battle B-Daman'' * Batman (Terry McGinnis), Terry McGinnis, main character in ''Batman Beyond'' * Terry Milkovich, from ''Shameless (British TV series), Shameless'' * Terry Silver, a character in the 1989 American martial arts drama film ''The Karate Kid Part III#Cast, The Karate Kid Part III'' * Terry the Tomboy, from ''AwesomenessTV (TV series), AwesomenessTV'' * Terry Williams (Hollyoaks), Terry Williams, a character in the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' * Scary Terry, from ''Rick and Morty'' * Terry, from the novel ''Hatchet (novel), Hatchet'' * Terry, from the 2013 animated film ''Monsters University'' * Terry, from the 2020 animated film ''Soul (2020 film), Soul'' * Terry Benedict, casino owner, the main antagonist in the ''Ocean's (franchise), Ocean's'' trilogy''

People

Male

Female

Fictional characters

See also