Fun Facts About the Name Teresa
- An established favorite: Teresa held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 34 consecutive years, from 1948 through 1981.
- More than 417 thousand babies named Teresa: U.S. records list 417,202 babies given the name Teresa from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,165 boys received the name Teresa - about 1 boy for every 357 girls.
What Does the Name Teresa Mean?
Teresa is a feminine given name of uncertain etymology. It is often connected with the Greek verb therízō (θερίζω), "to reap" or "to harvest," or with the noun théros (θέρος), "summer." Those proposed roots would give the sense "harvester" or "summer," but they are interpretations rather than a securely documented original meaning. Another explanation links the name to Therasia (Θηρασία), an island in the Greek Cyclades. The name is used in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Catalan as Teresa, in French as Thérèse, and in English as Teresa or Theresa. The French form Thérèse is a later development of the same name, not a separate root.
Teresa Name History & Origins
The name Teresa is found in the Iberian Peninsula in the Middle Ages. Teresa, Countess of Portugal (c. 1080 - 1130), daughter of Alfonso VI of León and Castile, bore the name, which shows that it was in use before the better-known Spanish mystic. Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515 - 1582), born Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada, was a Carmelite nun and reformer whose writings include The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection. The French form Thérèse was borne by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873 - 1897), a Carmelite nun known for her autobiography Story of a Soul. In the 20th century, Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu took the name Teresa when she entered religious life, choosing it after Thérèse of Lisieux; she became known as Mother Teresa. In English, both Teresa and Theresa are used, while Thérèse remains the usual French form.
How Popular is the Name Teresa?
Teresa remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1948 to 1981. Its highest annual birth count was in 1961, and people born that year turn 65 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #911 | 291 | 0.0181% |
| 2024 | #871 | 310 | 0.0192% |
| 2023 | #844 | 321 | 0.0200% |
| 2022 | #868 | 320 | 0.0195% |
| 2021 | #815 | 341 | 0.0208% |
| 2020 | #746 | 366 | 0.0227% |
| 2019 | #795 | 349 | 0.0208% |
| 2018 | #790 | 347 | 0.0204% |
| 2017 | #723 | 397 | 0.0230% |
| 2016 | #670 | 437 | 0.0247% |
| 2015 | #668 | 429 | 0.0240% |
| 2014 | #718 | 391 | 0.0219% |
| 2013 | #650 | 437 | 0.0249% |
| 2012 | #607 | 472 | 0.0268% |
| 2011 | #536 | 543 | 0.0309% |
| 2010 | #692 | 412 | 0.0232% |
| 2009 | #653 | 453 | 0.0247% |
| 2008 | #579 | 534 | 0.0282% |
| 2007 | #547 | 563 | 0.0293% |
| 2006 | #533 | 566 | 0.0298% |
| 2005 | #453 | 672 | 0.0364% |
| 2004 | #409 | 747 | 0.0407% |
| 2003 | #428 | 704 | 0.0385% |
| 2002 | #376 | 787 | 0.0438% |
| 2001 | #357 | 830 | 0.0461% |
| 2000 | #344 | 899 | 0.0495% |
| 1999 | #319 | 975 | 0.0550% |
| 1998 | #309 | 981 | 0.0555% |
| 1997 | #270 | 1,077 | 0.0619% |
| 1996 | #270 | 1,070 | 0.0610% |
| 1995 | #263 | 1,044 | 0.0594% |
| 1994 | #255 | 1,098 | 0.0615% |
| 1993 | #226 | 1,233 | 0.0682% |
| 1992 | #209 | 1,371 | 0.0744% |
| 1991 | #202 | 1,490 | 0.0795% |
| 1990 | #179 | 1,613 | 0.0850% |
| 1989 | #184 | 1,534 | 0.0832% |
| 1988 | #172 | 1,633 | 0.0917% |
| 1987 | #154 | 1,781 | 0.1024% |
| 1986 | #139 | 2,010 | 0.1172% |
| 1985 | #132 | 2,210 | 0.1284% |
| 1984 | #117 | 2,387 | 0.1418% |
| 1983 | #103 | 2,702 | 0.1617% |
| 1982 | #102 | 2,883 | 0.1703% |
| 1981 | #97 | 3,122 | 0.1872% |
| 1980 | #94 | 3,148 | 0.1896% |
| 1979 | #87 | 3,481 | 0.2168% |
| 1978 | #88 | 3,472 | 0.2266% |
| 1977 | #79 | 3,655 | 0.2384% |
| 1976 | #66 | 4,056 | 0.2768% |
| 1975 | #61 | 4,640 | 0.3183% |
| 1974 | #52 | 5,397 | 0.3678% |
| 1973 | #45 | 5,986 | 0.4105% |
| 1972 | #39 | 7,177 | 0.4718% |
| 1971 | #34 | 8,562 | 0.5146% |
| 1970 | #34 | 9,612 | 0.5498% |
| 1969 | #32 | 10,356 | 0.6139% |
| 1968 | #30 | 10,914 | 0.6653% |
| 1967 | #28 | 12,271 | 0.7432% |
| 1966 | #29 | 13,024 | 0.7697% |
| 1965 | #24 | 14,577 | 0.8258% |
| 1964 | #21 | 16,422 | 0.8667% |
| 1963 | #18 | 17,963 | 0.9320% |
| 1962 | #18 | 18,519 | 0.9417% |
| 1961 | #18 | 18,909 | 0.9368% |
| 1960 | #19 | 18,835 | 0.9315% |
| 1959 | #24 | 17,401 | 0.8600% |
| 1958 | #26 | 15,603 | 0.7756% |
| 1957 | #24 | 15,686 | 0.7671% |
| 1956 | #24 | 14,464 | 0.7204% |
| 1955 | #26 | 13,124 | 0.6712% |
| 1954 | #34 | 10,842 | 0.5583% |
| 1953 | #42 | 8,932 | 0.4748% |
| 1952 | #52 | 7,294 | 0.3933% |
| 1951 | #63 | 6,214 | 0.3451% |
| 1950 | #81 | 4,724 | 0.2758% |
| 1949 | #82 | 4,328 | 0.2530% |
| 1948 | #82 | 4,217 | 0.2484% |
| 1947 | #121 | 2,810 | 0.1585% |
| 1946 | #148 | 1,834 | 0.1167% |
| 1945 | #171 | 1,339 | 0.1024% |
| 1944 | #181 | 1,204 | 0.0907% |
| 1943 | #186 | 1,194 | 0.0856% |
| 1942 | #203 | 1,002 | 0.0742% |
| 1941 | #241 | 716 | 0.0593% |
| 1940 | #244 | 686 | 0.0600% |
| 1939 | #245 | 649 | 0.0592% |
| 1938 | #236 | 695 | 0.0630% |
| 1937 | #242 | 661 | 0.0621% |
| 1936 | #239 | 675 | 0.0649% |
| 1935 | #234 | 715 | 0.0682% |
| 1934 | #238 | 706 | 0.0676% |
| 1933 | #223 | 753 | 0.0747% |
| 1932 | #211 | 855 | 0.0801% |
| 1931 | #192 | 947 | 0.0889% |
| 1930 | #194 | 992 | 0.0881% |
| 1929 | #192 | 1,022 | 0.0915% |
| 1928 | #172 | 1,212 | 0.1051% |
| 1927 | #174 | 1,211 | 0.1016% |
| 1926 | #181 | 1,159 | 0.0978% |
| 1925 | #206 | 955 | 0.0784% |
| 1924 | #233 | 786 | 0.0629% |
| 1923 | #243 | 724 | 0.0600% |
| 1922 | #244 | 701 | 0.0584% |
| 1921 | #245 | 738 | 0.0599% |
| 1920 | #243 | 720 | 0.0601% |
| 1919 | #240 | 706 | 0.0625% |
| 1918 | #247 | 674 | 0.0582% |
| 1917 | #241 | 673 | 0.0622% |
| 1916 | #242 | 662 | 0.0634% |
| 1915 | #229 | 686 | 0.0697% |
| 1914 | #235 | 524 | 0.0688% |
| 1913 | #236 | 424 | 0.0679% |
| 1912 | #242 | 344 | 0.0616% |
| 1911 | #233 | 281 | 0.0672% |
| 1910 | #258 | 220 | 0.0555% |
| 1909 | #241 | 215 | 0.0619% |
| 1908 | #225 | 233 | 0.0697% |
| 1907 | #249 | 191 | 0.0600% |
| 1906 | #222 | 198 | 0.0671% |
| 1905 | #238 | 178 | 0.0610% |
| 1904 | #230 | 179 | 0.0650% |
| 1903 | #229 | 174 | 0.0664% |
| 1902 | #253 | 153 | 0.0579% |
| 1901 | #225 | 164 | 0.0685% |
| 1900 | #220 | 204 | 0.0680% |
| 1899 | #217 | 162 | 0.0695% |
| 1898 | #199 | 217 | 0.0839% |
| 1897 | #215 | 159 | 0.0679% |
| 1896 | #192 | 209 | 0.0878% |
| 1895 | #209 | 167 | 0.0715% |
| 1894 | #213 | 157 | 0.0704% |
| 1893 | #229 | 132 | 0.0620% |
| 1892 | #215 | 143 | 0.0673% |
| 1891 | #204 | 131 | 0.0706% |
| 1890 | #233 | 110 | 0.0578% |
| 1889 | #218 | 113 | 0.0634% |
| 1888 | #219 | 111 | 0.0621% |
| 1887 | #196 | 107 | 0.0733% |
| 1886 | #218 | 84 | 0.0581% |
| 1885 | #251 | 66 | 0.0496% |
| 1884 | #213 | 78 | 0.0605% |
| 1883 | #226 | 64 | 0.0570% |
| 1882 | #245 | 50 | 0.0464% |
| 1881 | #234 | 46 | 0.0500% |
| 1880 | #218 | 50 | 0.0549% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | #5,876 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #10,006 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #8,346 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #7,103 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #4,494 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #6,354 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #3,933 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #5,283 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #3,780 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #2,696 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1983 | #3,212 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1982 | #2,414 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1981 | #3,014 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1980 | #3,411 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1979 | #3,792 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #3,203 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1977 | #2,650 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1976 | #2,045 | 24 | 0.0015% |
| 1975 | #2,355 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1974 | #2,191 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1973 | #1,975 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 1972 | #1,643 | 29 | 0.0018% |
| 1971 | #1,327 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 1970 | #1,394 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 1969 | #1,323 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1968 | #1,247 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 1967 | #1,337 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 1966 | #1,114 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 1965 | #1,160 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 1964 | #1,285 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 1963 | #1,067 | 52 | 0.0026% |
| 1962 | #1,146 | 46 | 0.0022% |
| 1961 | #1,260 | 40 | 0.0019% |
| 1960 | #1,268 | 39 | 0.0018% |
| 1959 | #1,262 | 39 | 0.0018% |
| 1958 | #1,319 | 35 | 0.0016% |
| 1957 | #1,385 | 33 | 0.0015% |
| 1956 | #1,332 | 34 | 0.0016% |
| 1955 | #1,570 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1954 | #1,665 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1953 | #1,827 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1952 | #3,341 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1951 | #2,488 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1950 | #3,641 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #3,270 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1948 | #2,765 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1946 | #2,523 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1945 | #2,971 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1941 | #3,107 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1940 | #3,890 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1938 | #3,984 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,146 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1935 | #2,697 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1932 | #2,447 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1931 | #4,269 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #2,994 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1929 | #2,956 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1928 | #3,666 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1926 | #3,669 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1924 | #4,886 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1922 | #4,260 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1917 | #4,514 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Teresa
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
Most Popular Girl Names at All Time
Established Favorite Girl Names
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How the Name Teresa Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You like to control everyone within your influence, to shape things to your own liking. If positive, you develop high spirituality, as you have a God's protection. You are sensitive, affectionate, imaginative and cooperative, spiritually aware and prone to self-sacrifice. You can keep secrets and are a good diplomat. You may have healing and psychic powers. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Teresa's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Teresa's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.