Meaning:
Its source is tirel, an Old French name meaning "Puller."
Popularity:
The name Terrell ranked 453rd in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 471st in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.
Narrative:
The derivation of this name is not certain. If this attribution is correct, it may have started as a nickname for a stubborn person, implying a comparison with a horse that uncooperatively pulls on the reins.