The name Thierry is of French origin and means "powerful" or "lord". It is derived from the Germanic word "theudo", which means "people" or "popular". The name was popular among the Franks, a Germanic tribe that settled in Gaul (now France) during the Migration Period.
Thierry was first used as a given name by the Merovingian kings of Francia, who ruled from the 5th to the 8th centuries. Thierry I, also known as Thierry of Metz, was a king of Austrasia, one of the three Frankish kingdoms, in the late 6th century. He was known for his bravery and military prowess, which may have contributed to the popularity of the name among his followers.
Throughout history, the name Thierry has been associated with several notable figures, including Saint Thierry (also known as Thierry of Alsace), a 12th-century Cistercian monk and theologian. The name has also been used by members of French nobility, such as Thierry d'Albret, a 14th-century nobleman who served as the lord of Albret.
Today, Thierry is still a popular name in France and other French-speaking countries. It is often spelled "Thierry" in French and "Thero" or "Theroux" in English. While it may be less common in English-speaking countries, it is still used occasionally as a given name for boys.
The name Thierry has seen varied popularity over the years in the United States, with a total of 818 babies born with this name since 1947.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the name Thierry was quite uncommon, with only five births recorded in 1947. However, it began to gain traction in the mid-1950s, with six births in 1956 and reaching a peak of nine births each in both 1957 and 1959.
The 1960s saw Thierry's popularity fluctuate significantly. It started strong with eleven births in 1960 but dipped to eight births each in 1962 and 1963. The decade ended with a notable increase, reaching twelve births in both 1965 and 1970.
The 1970s brought more inconsistency in Thierry's popularity. After nine births in 1971, the number dropped to eight in 1972 before jumping back up to twelve in 1975. The late 1970s saw a decrease again, with seven births in both 1976 and 1982.
The 1980s marked a turning point for the name Thierry. After reaching eleven births each year from 1984 to 1986, it maintained consistent popularity throughout the rest of the decade, never falling below seven births per year.
Entering the 1990s, Thierry's popularity continued to grow. It peaked at nineteen births in 2000 and remained consistently high, with double-digit figures every year until 2005. The mid-2000s saw a significant surge in popularity, reaching forty births in 2007 – the highest number on record.
This trend of increased popularity continued into the early 2010s, with Thierry reaching twenty-three births each year from 2012 to 2014. Since then, its popularity has remained relatively stable, with an average of around eighteen to twenty-two births per year.
In recent years, despite a slight dip in popularity, Thierry continues to be a popular choice among parents in the United States. In 2023, there have been twenty births so far, indicating that this name remains relevant and continues to capture the imagination of parents looking for unique and distinctive names for their children.