The first name Tess

In 2025, 10 girls were named Tess, making it the 2,605th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2009, with 95 births (#438).

Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Tess with other names.

In 2025, 113 girls born in the United States were named Tess, the 1,794th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1992, when 529 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.

• Tess Gerritsen
  American novelist, born 1953
• Tess Harper
  American actress, born 1950
• Tess Lieder
  Dutch handball player, born 1993
• Tess Ledeux
  French freestyle skier, born 2001
• Tess Coady
  Australian snowboarder, born 2000
• Tess Madgen
  Australian basketball player (born 1990)
• Tess Daly
  British television presenter, born 1969
• Tess Johnson
  American freestyle moguls skier (born 2000)
• Tess Haubrich
  Australian actress and model, born 1990
• Tess Holliday
  American plus-size model, born 1985
• Tess Gallagher
  American writer (b. 1943)
• Tess Gaerthé
  Dutch singer, born 1991

What does the name Tess mean?

Borrowed from German Tess, a variant of Tesch.

How popular is the name Tess?

In 2025, 10 girls born in England and Wales were named Tess, ranking 2,605th. Its peak was 2009, with 95 births.

Is Tess a boy's or a girl's name?

Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 14,770 US babies named Tess since 1880 were girls.

When was Tess most popular?

1992 in the United States, when 529 babies were named Tess, its highest rank at 467th.

How do you pronounce Tess?

Tess is /tɛs/, one syllable.