Tessa
A diminutive of the female given name Teresa, from Ancient Greek.
Every Tessa since 1891 — 55,939 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tessa
Tessa is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #311 in 2025 with 978 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1891, 55,939 American babies have been named Tessa. Its peak came in 2007, when 1,753 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Tessa stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tessa year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 978 | #311 | — | — |
| 2024 | 1,036 | #303 | — | — |
| 2023 | 964 | #323 | — | — |
| 2022 | 973 | #332 | — | — |
| 2021 | 1,118 | #287 | — | — |
| 2020 | 1,135 | #281 | — | — |
| 2019 | 1,268 | #260 | — | — |
| 2018 | 1,329 | #245 | — | — |
| 2017 | 1,296 | #245 | — | — |
| 2016 | 1,395 | #230 | — | — |
| 2015 | 1,560 | #208 | — | — |
| 2014 | 1,527 | #221 | — | — |
| 2013 | 1,324 | #244 | — | — |
| 2012 | 1,366 | #233 | — | — |
| 2011 | 1,391 | #229 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,427 | #221 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,569 | #207 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,660 | #203 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,753 | #190 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,354 | #251 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,224 | #269 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,184 | #276 | 8 | #8,838 |
| 2003 | 1,112 | #281 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,064 | #294 | — | — |
| 2001 | 1,047 | #301 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,210 | #266 | — | — |
| 1995 | 1,119 | #253 | — | — |
| 1990 | 955 | #290 | — | — |
| 1985 | 683 | #344 | — | — |
| 1980 | 361 | #526 | — | — |
| 1975 | 289 | #575 | — | — |
| 1970 | 180 | #786 | — | — |
| 1965 | 108 | #1,008 | — | — |
| 1960 | 24 | #2,507 | — | — |
| 1955 | 20 | #2,546 | — | — |
| 1950 | 17 | #2,524 | — | — |
| 1945 | 36 | #1,353 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,675 | — | — |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,758 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | 5 | #2,194 | — | — |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,789 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Tessa
- Tessa Thompson Actor · b. 1983
- Tessa Virtue Skater · b. 1989
- Tessa Jowell Politician · 1947–2018
- Tessa Worley Skier · b. 1989
- Tessa Sanderson Athlete · b. 1956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tessa mean?
A diminutive of the female given name Teresa, from Ancient Greek.
How popular is the name Tessa in 2025?
Tessa ranked #311 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 978 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tessa?
55,939 babies have been named Tessa in the United States since 1891, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tessa most popular?
Tessa peaked in 2007, when 1,753 newborns received the name.
Is Tessa a boy or girl name?
Tessa is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Tessa rising or falling?
Tessa is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Tessa?
Well-known people named Tessa include Tessa Thompson (actor), Tessa Virtue (skater), Tessa Jowell (politician).