Name profile

BoyDutch language family

Terence

A name of Roman family origin.

Quick answer

Terence is a boy name with Roman family roots.

GenderBoy
OriginRoman family
Language familyDutch

Meaning and history

This name comes from the Roman family name Terentius, which is of unknown meaning. Famous bearers include Publius Terentius Afer, a Roman playwright, and Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar. It was also borne by several early saints. The name was used in Ireland as an Anglicized form of Toirdhealbhach, but it was not found as an English name until the late 19th century. It attained only a moderate level of popularity in the 20th century, though it has been common as an African-American name especially since the 1970s.

Notes and context

Usage: english