Updated May 24, 2023

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Girl name origins & meanings

  • Greek: To gather; To reap 
  • Old English: Harvester; diminutive form of Theresa 

What Does Tessa Mean and Stand For? 

The name Tessa is of Greek origin, meaning "to gather." It originated as a diminutive of Theresa but has since become a popular standalone name. It has consistently been one of the top 300 girls' names in the U.S. since the year 2000.

 Syllables: 2

Discover more baby name meanings to learn what's behind every name. 

Girl name variations

Quintessa

Quintessa

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Quintessenz

Quintessenz

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Quinn

Quinn

- 4% this year
Neutral
Common
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Tess

Tess

- 25% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Tesa

Tesa

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Teza

Teza

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Theresa

Theresa

- 1% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Teresa

Teresa

- 6% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Teressa

Teressa

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Therese

Therese

+ 26% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Toireasa

Toireasa

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Teri

Teri

- 30% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Terri

Terri

+ 3% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Terry

Terry

+ 7% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Tessie

Tessie

- 58% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Tessy

Tessy

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Tracey

Tracey

- 5% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Tracie

Tracie

+ 71% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Tracy

Tracy

- 2% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Tressa

Tressa

+ 33% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Tessica

Tessica

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Boy name origins & meanings

The name Tessa is of Greek origin, meaning "to gather." It originated as a diminutive of Theresa but has since become a popular standalone name.

How Popular Is The Name Tessa

Famous people who gave their babies this name

What Does the Name Tessa Mean? 

Tessa is a girls' name of Greek origin, meaning "to gather." It also has roots in Old English as a diminutive of Theresa, meaning "harvester." 

Tessa is the most popular of similar names Tess and Theresa. 

How Popular is the Name Tessa?

Tessa is the #287 most popular girls' name in the U.S., according to 2021 Social Security Administration data. It has remained relatively popular since the year 2000, holding a steady spot in the 200s range. 

However, Tessa ranks #6 on FamilyEducation.com. 

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Tessa was at its peak popularity in February 2018. 

Popularity of the Name Tessa in the United States

Tessa was searched for most often in the following states:

  • New York
  • Maryland
  • California
  • New Jersey
  • District of Columbia 

Famous People Named Tessa and Tessa in Pop Culture 

Famous Tessa's include the actresses Tessa Thompson, Tessa Allen, and Tessa Grady. Tessa Virtue is a Canadian Olympic ice dancer who won Gold in the 2010 and 2018 Olympic Games.

The name Tessa features in TV, movies, and books such as Highlander, The Constant Gardener, Wendy Mass's Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall, and George Elliot's Romola

Pairs Well with These Middle Names

Tessa appears on these Baby Name Lists:

People Who Like the Name Tessa Also Like

Tessa meaning and origin