Tess
Tess is a feminine given name, typically a diminutive form of Theresa or Tessa. It is occasionally a diminutive form of Esther or Hester.
- English
- Dutch
Meaning & Origin of Tess
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Tess is a feminine given name, typically a diminutive form of Theresa or Tessa. It is occasionally a diminutive form of Esther or Hester.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Dutch
The Story of Tess
American parents first put Tess on the record books as a baby girl name in 1889, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1992, when 529 Tesss were born — ranking #465 that year. About 31% of every Tess on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Tess ranks #2,111 for baby girls with 92 births, falling sharply (-38%). All told, over 15K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Tess
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Tess. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Tess
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Tess Amorim (born 1994), Brazilian actress
- Tess Annique , American model
- Tess Broussard (born 1972), American model and actress
- Tess Daly (born 1969), British television presenter
- Tess Frazer , American actress
- Tess Gaerthé (born 1991), Dutch singer
- Tess Gallagher (born 1943), American writer
- Tess Gardella (1894–1950), American actress and vaudeville performer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Tess
Phonetically similar names — useful when Tess is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tess
What does the name Tess mean?
What is the origin of the name Tess?
How popular is Tess in 2026?
When was Tess most popular?
In which U.S. states is Tess most popular?
Is Tess a unisex name?
What names go well with Tess?
What are nicknames or variants of Tess?
About the name Tess
Tess is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1889 and has accumulated 15K births in the dataset. Tess's peak popularity came in 1992 when it ranked #465. Use the chart and map above to compare Tess's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1992 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.