Tessia
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly Greek, meaning "pleasing" or "delightful".
Name Census estimates that about 350 living Americans carry the first name Tessia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tessia today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tessia births was 1991 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tessia. 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
350
~ 1 in 979,298 Americans
Peak year
1991
17 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
2010 SSA rank
#16,811
Tracked since 1964
Popularity
Tessia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tessia from the 1960s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 118 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
Tessia 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 Tessia 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 Tessia
The name Tessia finds its origins in the ancient Greek language. It is derived from the Greek word "tesso," which means "four." This connection suggests that the name may have been initially used to refer to a fourth-born child or someone associated with the number four in some way.
The earliest recorded use of the name Tessia dates back to the 5th century BC in ancient Greek texts. It was a relatively uncommon name during this time period but was occasionally bestowed upon girls born into wealthy or influential families in the Greek city-states.
One of the earliest historical references to the name Tessia can be found in the writings of the Greek philosopher Plato. In his work "The Republic," Plato mentions a character named Tessia, who is described as a wise and educated woman involved in discussions on the nature of justice and the ideal society.
In the 3rd century BC, a notable figure named Tessia of Ephesus emerged as a prominent philosopher and teacher. She is credited with establishing a school of thought that blended elements of Stoicism and Platonism, and her teachings influenced many philosophers and scholars of her time.
During the Byzantine Empire, which lasted from the 4th to the 15th century AD, the name Tessia gained some popularity among the Greek-speaking population. One noteworthy individual was Tessia of Constantinople, a renowned physician and herbalist who lived in the 9th century AD. She authored several influential works on the medicinal properties of plants and was highly regarded for her expertise in the field of natural remedies.
In the 12th century AD, a woman named Tessia of Thessaloniki was a prominent figure in the Eastern Orthodox Church. She was a nun who was known for her piety, wisdom, and philanthropic endeavors. Her writings on spiritual matters and her dedication to helping the poor and underprivileged earned her widespread respect and admiration.
Another historical figure with the name Tessia was Tessia of Crete, a skilled sculptor and artist who lived in the 16th century. Her intricate marble statues and detailed friezes adorned many churches and public buildings throughout the island of Crete, and her work was highly praised for its beauty and craftsmanship.
People
Tessia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tessia 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
Tessia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tessia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 350 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tessia 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 979,298 US residents.
Is Tessia a common name?
We classify Tessia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 371 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tessia most popular?
The single biggest year for Tessia was 1991, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tessia is about 37 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tessia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tessia 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.