Tess
Meaning
nickname for Theresa, meaning uncertain (traditionally harvester)
Famously borne by Tess Ledeux, the French Olympic freeskiing medalist.
The formal names behind Tess
Tess is an established short form of each of these names.
Teresa · Greek origin · of disputed etymology, traditionally linked to Greek 'therizein' (to harvest) or the island of Therasia
Theresa · Greek origin · meaning uncertain, possibly 'harvester' or from the island of Thera
Tess around the world
One shared root links 6 names across 3 languages.
Shared root: of uncertain origin; traditionally tied to Greek therizein "to harvest" or to the island of Therasia
The constellation
More branches
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Tess peaked in the 1990s and the 2010s in nearly equal measure.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
46 people · the #70,533 first name in Brazil · median age 31
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
The Tess deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Tess truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Tess fits with your family’s names and surname.
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