Teresa first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Teresa has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Teresa

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "huntress" or "harvester".

Popularity of Teresa by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Teresa is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Teresa being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 320 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Teresa.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 0 320
2022 0 317
2021 0 339
2020 0 366
2019 0 347
2018 0 346
2017 0 396
2016 0 436
2015 0 429
2014 0 391
2013 0 437
2012 0 472
2011 0 543
2010 0 412
2009 0 453
2008 0 534
2007 0 563
2006 0 566
2005 0 672
2004 0 747
2003 0 703
2002 0 787
2001 0 830
2000 0 899
1999 0 975
1998 0 981
1997 0 1,077
1996 0 1,069
1995 10 1,044
1994 0 1,098
1993 5 1,234
1992 5 1,371
1991 0 1,490
1990 7 1,613
1989 12 1,535
1988 7 1,634
1987 12 1,781
1986 8 2,009
1985 12 2,211
1984 18 2,386
1983 14 2,703
1982 21 2,884
1981 15 3,122
1980 13 3,148
1979 11 3,481
1978 13 3,473
1977 17 3,656
1976 24 4,056
1975 19 4,639
1974 20 5,395

The history of the first name Teresa

Teresa is a feminine given name of Greek origin, derived from the Greek word "therizo" which means "to harvest" or "to reap." It is believed to have originated in the 3rd century AD on the island of Sicily, where Greek culture had a significant influence.

The name Teresa gained widespread popularity in the Christian tradition due to its association with Saint Teresa of Avila, a Spanish mystic and reformer of the Carmelite Order, who lived from 1515 to 1582. Her life and teachings had a profound impact on the Catholic Church, and her name became a popular choice for baby girls, particularly in Spain and other Spanish-speaking regions.

In the 4th century, the name Teresa appeared in the writings of Saint Jerome, a scholar and translator of the Bible. He mentioned a Christian martyr named Teresa who was executed during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Diocletian.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Teresa is found in the 12th century, when a Spanish noblewoman named Teresa of Portugal (1181-1250) became the Queen of León and Castile through her marriage to King Alfonso IX.

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Teresa, including:

  1. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), a Spanish mystic, writer, and reformer of the Carmelite Order, who was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.
  2. Mother Teresa (1910-1997), a Roman Catholic nun who dedicated her life to serving the poor and destitute and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
  3. Teresa Teng (1953-1995), a renowned Taiwanese singer and actress, often referred to as the "Queen of Mandarin Pop."
  4. Teresa Graves (1948-2002), an American actress and comedian, best known for her role as an undercover police officer in the television series "Get Christie Love!"
  5. Teresa Weatherspoon (born 1965), a former American basketball player and coach, who played in the WNBA and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

The name Teresa has maintained its popularity throughout the centuries, transcending cultural and linguistic boundaries, and continues to be a beloved choice for parents around the world.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Teresa was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Teresa, please contact us.

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"Teresa first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 8, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/teresa-meaning-and-history/.

"Teresa first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/teresa-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 8 November, 2024

Teresa first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/teresa-meaning-and-history/.

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