Tess
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Tess is a Greek name meaning “to harvest”. It is a common name, overwhelmingly used for girls, with 99.98% female usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Tess
Tess is a name of Greek origin, acting as a common diminutive for Teresa. The name Teresa is thought to derive from the Greek word therizein, meaning to harvest, or alternatively from the island of Thera. It has been used for centuries across European cultures as a short form for Theresa.
Meaning Comments
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Gender Usage of the Name Tess
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Tess is overwhelmingly used as a name for girls. Approximately 99.98% of recorded bearers are female. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Tess
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Tess is listed under Common Girl Names worldwide. Its popularity is relatively consistent across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Common | 1 in every 19K births |
| United Kingdom | Common | 1 in every 4.7K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 17K births |
| Australia | Popular | 1 in every 48K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Tess ranked #1,613 on the Popular Girls’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It fell from #1,218 in 2024 — a drop of 395 places. Tess shows meaningful recent movement in rank, though it remains uncommon overall.
Historically, its best recorded position was #202 in 1995. Its lowest recorded position was #5,348 in 1980. Over the last 5 years (2020–2025) the name fell -465 places (from #1,148 to #1,613).
Name StyleMethodology
Tess is classified as Classic Girl Names because it appears in 55% of available years and remains active today, averaging 234 births per year after a historical peak in 2000.Characteristics of the Name Tess
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 1 syllable — One-Syllable Girl Names
- Length
- 4 letters — Short Girl Names
- Starts with
- T — Girl Names Starting with T
- Ends with
- s — Girl Names Ending in “s”
Name AestheticMethodology
Tess consists of a single syllable ending in a sharp consonant. It is the eponymous title character of the literary work Tess of the d'Urbervilles. The simplicity of the name creates a Beautiful & Charming aesthetic.
Middle Names For Tess
Middle names used with TessMethodology
Tess is most frequently used with these girl middle names: Tess Marie · Tess Elizabeth · Tess Alexandra · Tess Elaine · Tess VictoriaView all 160 girl middle names.
- Total 202 middle names used with Tess
- 9 boy middle names used with Tess
- 31 unisex middle names used with Tess
Middle name suggestions for TessMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Tess is most frequently associated with girl middle names that have 2 syllables, Strong–Weak stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “m”.
Examples: Tess Myers · Tess Monae · Tess Megan · Tess Moody · Tess Monay. View all 264 suggested middle names.
Associations of the Name Tess
Natural Name MatchesMethodology
The complete dataset includes 3 biological records matching the name Tess. None belong to the curated biological families used to classify Flower-, Tree-, or Bird-Inspired Names. These records are provided for reference only.
Names Similar to Tess
Sound Like Tess Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Daisy · Tessa · Dessie · View all 86 names
Spelled Like Tess Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Tessa · Tessy · Tessi · View all 5 names
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Teresa · Theresa · Tiffany · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Tess Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Alice · Grace · Frances · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Ruth · Grace · Joyce · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Tess”
Dictionary Meaning of "Tess"Methodology
A diminutive of the female given name Teresa
Examples
- Cynthia and Melinda, reduced to Cindy and Mindy, as Carella had dreaded would happen from the moment she named them. Her older daughter had fared better. Tess, modern and sleek for Teresa, which conjured up cobblestoned streets in a mountain village in Potenza.
More Info
How to Spell Tess in ASL
- T
- e
- s
- s
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