The first name Teresa
A girl’s name from Greek.
Pronounced /təˈɹiː.sə/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
First recorded as the name of a fourth-century Spanish saint. Of obscure origin; suggestions include Therasia or Thera, ancient name of the Greek island Thira.
A form of Theresa.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 23 girls were named Teresa, making it the 1,362nd most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 48 births (#526).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Teresa with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Teresa at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 291 girls born in the United States were named Teresa, the 911th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1961, when 18,909 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Teresa in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Teresa in Catalan, Finnish, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Teresa
65 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Teresa WrightAmerican actress (1918–2005)
- Teresa PalmerAustralian actress, model, writer and producer (born 1986)
- Teresa ClaramuntCatalan Spanish anarcho-syndicalist, editor, 1862–1931
- Teresa EdwardsAmerican basketball player (born 1964)
- Teresa BrewerAmerican pop singer (1931-2007)
- Teresa StadloberAustrian cross-country skier, born 1993
- María Teresa RuizChilean astronomer, born 1946
- Teresa GravesAmerican actress and singer (1948-2002)
- Teresa of the AndesChilean nun of the Discalced Carmelite Order, 1900–1920
- Teresa Ann SavoyBritish-born actress (1955-2017)
- Teresa ForcadesCatalan Benedictine nun, theologian, physician and activist, born 1966
- Teresa StolzCzech opera singer, 1834–1902
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Teresa mean?
- First recorded as the name of a fourth-century Spanish saint. Of obscure origin; suggestions include Therasia or Thera, ancient name of the Greek island Thira.
- What is the origin of the name Teresa?
- First recorded as the name of a fourth-century Spanish saint. Of obscure origin; suggestions include Therasia or Thera, ancient name of the Greek island Thira.
- How popular is the name Teresa?
- In 2025, 23 girls born in England and Wales were named Teresa, ranking 1,362nd. Its peak was 1996, with 48 births.
- What are nicknames for Teresa?
- Common nicknames for Teresa include Terri, Terry, Tess, Tessa, Teri, Terrie.
- Is Teresa a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 417,209 US babies named Teresa since 1880 were girls.
- When was Teresa most popular?
- 1961 in the United States, when 18,909 babies were named Teresa, its highest rank at 18th.
- How do you pronounce Teresa?
- Teresa is /təˈɹiː.sə/, 3 syllables.
- What name is Teresa a form of?
- Teresa is a form of Theresa.
- What are other spellings of Teresa?
- Theresa.