Taresa
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly Spanish or Greek.
Name Census estimates that about 372 living Americans carry the first name Taresa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Taresa today is around 54 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Taresa births was 1970 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Taresa. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
372
~ 1 in 921,383 Americans
Peak year
1970
22 babies that year
Average age
54
years old
1993 SSA rank
#13,275
Tracked since 1948
Popularity
Taresa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Taresa from the 1940s through to the 1990s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 139 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Taresa by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Taresa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Taresa
The name Taresa is believed to have its origins in the Latin language, deriving from the feminine form of the name Tarius. The name Tarius itself is thought to have roots in the ancient Roman family name Tarius or Tarius Rufus, meaning "red-haired" or "reddish-brown."
The earliest recorded use of the name Taresa can be traced back to the 12th century, where it was documented in medieval Latin texts and records. However, it was relatively uncommon during this time period and was primarily found in regions with strong Roman influences, such as Italy and parts of Spain.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Taresa was Taresa de Vidaurre, a Spanish noblewoman and landowner who lived in the late 15th century. She was known for her philanthropic efforts and for establishing a charitable foundation in her hometown of Salamanca.
In the 16th century, the name gained some popularity in Italy, particularly in the northern regions. One notable figure from this era was Taresa Gozzadini, a wealthy Italian patron of the arts who lived in Bologna from 1519 to 1590. She was known for her support of Renaissance artists and her extensive art collection.
Another famous Taresa from the 16th century was Taresa de Ávila, a Spanish mystic and author who lived from 1515 to 1582. She was a prominent figure in the Catholic Reformation and is revered as a Doctor of the Church. Her writings, including her autobiographical work "The Life of Taresa of Jesus," have had a lasting impact on Catholic spirituality.
In the 17th century, the name appeared sporadically throughout Europe, although it remained relatively uncommon. One notable bearer of the name was Taresa Maria Guzmán y Espinosa, a Spanish nun and writer who lived from 1668 to 1744. She is known for her collection of spiritual writings and her devotion to the Virgin Mary.
Moving into the 19th century, the name Taresa saw a modest resurgence in popularity, particularly in certain regions of Italy and Spain. One famous Taresa from this era was Taresa Carreno, a Venezuelan virtuoso pianist and composer who lived from 1853 to 1917. She was widely acclaimed for her technical mastery and her interpretations of works by composers such as Beethoven and Chopin.
People
Taresa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Taresa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Taresa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Taresa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 372 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Taresa going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 921,383 US residents.
Is Taresa a common name?
We classify Taresa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 432 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Taresa most popular?
The single biggest year for Taresa was 1970, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Taresa is about 54 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Taresa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Taresa in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.