Tess
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "to gather, to harvest".
Name Census estimates that about 13,735 living Americans carry the first name Tess. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tess today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tess births was 1992 (529 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tess. 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
14K
~ 1 in 24,955 Americans
Peak year
1992
529 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,784
Tracked since 1889
Popularity
Tess: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tess from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 4,557 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tess 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 Tess during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tess' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 44 states and territories. California, New York, Massachusetts recorded the most babies named Tess, while South Carolina, Nevada, Maine recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 250 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Tess
The name Tess is a diminutive form of the feminine name Teresa, which originated from the Greek name Theresia. The root of the name is the Greek word "therizo," meaning "to harvest." This name was derived from the Greek island of Thera, now known as Santorini.
In ancient times, the name Teresa was associated with Saint Teresa of Avila, a prominent Spanish mystic and author who lived from 1515 to 1582. She was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is honored as a Doctor of the Church. The name Teresa gained popularity throughout Europe during the medieval period due to her influence.
The shortened form, Tess, emerged in the 19th century as a diminutive of Teresa. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Tess was in the novel "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" by Thomas Hardy, published in 1891. The protagonist, Tess Durbeyfield, was a pivotal character in the book, which explored themes of social class and moral ambiguity in Victorian England.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Tess. Tess Daly, born in 1969, is an English model and television presenter known for co-hosting the popular BBC dance competition show "Strictly Come Dancing." Tess Holliday, born in 1985, is an American model and body positivity activist who has been instrumental in promoting size inclusivity in the fashion industry.
Another prominent figure with the name Tess was Tess Slesinger, an American writer and screenwriter born in 1905. She was known for her novels and short stories that explored themes of feminism and social justice. Tess Schlesinger, born in 1960, is an Australian author and academic who has written extensively on feminist theory and philosophy.
Additionally, Tess Gerritsen, born in 1953, is an American novelist and former physician. She is best known for her series of novels featuring the character Jane Rizzoli, which have been adapted into the popular television series "Rizzoli & Isles."
The name Tess has a rich history and cultural significance, spanning from its Greek origins to its modern usage as a diminutive form. It has been borne by influential women in literature, entertainment, activism, and academia, reflecting the diverse and enduring appeal of this name.
People
Tess + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tess 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
Tess: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tess?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13,735 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tess 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 24,955 US residents.
Is Tess a common name?
We classify Tess as "Uncommon". It ranks above 98.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 14,653 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tess most popular?
The single biggest year for Tess was 1992, when 529 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tess is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tess a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tess 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.