Tessa
How to say it: TES-uh · /ˈtɛsə/
Short form of Theresa; linked to Greek 'therizo' (to harvest), or possibly a place-name origin.
Tessa was the 339th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 978 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2010s, its births are down about 37% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #415 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #339 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 978 |
| Share of births | 1 in 3,389 |
| Peak decade | 2010s |
| Change over 10 years | −37% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #415 |
| In France, 2025 | #294 among girls’ names, 190 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Tessa reached its fullest use in the 2010s and has softened since. Remaining close to peak level, a gentle slide seems likely going forward.
What goes with it
Gentle and crisp at once, Tessa speaks in two light syllables. Tess works as a nickname and Mia echoes its charm.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Tessa is about 1 in 142.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #294 for girls in 2025.
Ireland: #195.
Famous people named Tessa
- Tessa Thompson (born 1983)American actress
- Tessa Virtue (born 1989)Canadian ice dancer
- Tessa Sanderson (born 1956)British javelin thrower
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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