Terrell is an English surname of Norman French origin, usually traced to the Old French tirel, "to pull", a nickname for a stubborn person; in American use it is also treated as a spelling of Tyrell. The name became popular in African American families from the 1960s on, and NFL receiver Terrell Owens is its best-known bearer. Terrell was at number 409 in 2000 and has declined steadily since, standing at number 1538 in 2025.