Tess
A diminutive of the female given name Teresa.
Every Tess since 1889 — 14,770 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tess
Tess is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,794 in 2025 with 113 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1889, 14,770 American babies have been named Tess. Its peak came in 1992, when 529 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Tess stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tess year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 113 | #1,794 |
| 2024 | 115 | #1,768 |
| 2023 | 117 | #1,761 |
| 2022 | 107 | #1,897 |
| 2021 | 142 | #1,496 |
| 2020 | 175 | #1,281 |
| 2019 | 158 | #1,421 |
| 2018 | 176 | #1,298 |
| 2017 | 203 | #1,199 |
| 2016 | 217 | #1,163 |
| 2015 | 229 | #1,120 |
| 2014 | 235 | #1,090 |
| 2013 | 251 | #999 |
| 2012 | 255 | #993 |
| 2011 | 283 | #921 |
| 2010 | 338 | #810 |
| 2009 | 342 | #826 |
| 2008 | 322 | #867 |
| 2007 | 311 | #892 |
| 2006 | 385 | #730 |
| 2005 | 461 | #613 |
| 2004 | 424 | #647 |
| 2003 | 494 | #566 |
| 2002 | 417 | #614 |
| 2001 | 393 | #642 |
| 2000 | 475 | #551 |
| 1995 | 435 | #547 |
| 1990 | 404 | #574 |
| 1985 | 218 | #778 |
| 1980 | 13 | #5,522 |
| 1975 | 32 | #2,506 |
| 1970 | 94 | #1,207 |
| 1965 | 14 | #3,531 |
| 1960 | 23 | #2,569 |
| 1955 | 16 | #2,956 |
| 1950 | 6 | #5,245 |
| 1945 | 9 | #3,364 |
| 1940 | 6 | #4,295 |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | 6 | #4,507 |
| 1925 | 21 | #1,938 |
| 1920 | 19 | #2,068 |
| 1915 | 13 | #2,369 |
| 1910 | 6 | #2,375 |
| 1905 | 13 | #1,091 |
| 1900 | 11 | #1,219 |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,572 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Tess
- Tess Gerritsen Writer · b. 1953
- Tess Harper Actor · b. 1950
- Tess Wester Handball player · b. 1993
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tess mean?
A diminutive of the female given name Teresa.
How popular is the name Tess in 2025?
Tess ranked #1,794 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 113 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tess?
14,770 babies have been named Tess in the United States since 1889, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tess most popular?
Tess peaked in 1992, when 529 newborns received the name.
Is Tess a boy or girl name?
Tess is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Tess rising or falling?
Tess is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Tess?
Well-known people named Tess include Tess Gerritsen (writer), Tess Harper (actor), Tess Wester (handball player).