Tess
Girl name · #1780 in 2025 · Uniqueness 78/100
Tess is currently the #1780 girl name in the United States — 113 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1118, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,929 girls born in 2025 was named Tess.
Babies named Tess per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 136-year story
Tess first appears in the Social Security records in 1889, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1992, when 529 girls were named Tess — good for #465 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Tess against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Tess in class?
Tess scores 78 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Tess will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Tess is most common
Geography matters for names, and Tess is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Tesss were CA (14), TX (9), MA (8), NY (8), IL (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Tess
Statistically, parents drawn to Tess tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Tyler, Tianna, Tori, Princess, and Tiara.
TylerTiannaToriPrincessTiaraImanKailaKaci
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Tess | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 113 | #1777 |
| 2024 | 115 | #1753 |
| 2023 | 117 | #1750 |
| 2022 | 107 | #1885 |
| 2021 | 142 | #1491 |
| 2020 | 175 | #1276 |
| 2019 | 158 | #1415 |
| 2018 | 176 | #1292 |
| 2017 | 203 | #1198 |
| 2016 | 217 | #1158 |
| 2015 | 229 | #1118 |
| 2014 | 235 | #1089 |
| 2013 | 251 | #996 |
| 2012 | 255 | #988 |
| 2011 | 283 | #918 |
| 2010 | 338 | #808 |
| 2009 | 342 | #824 |
| 2008 | 322 | #866 |
| 2007 | 311 | #892 |
| 2006 | 385 | #730 |
| 2005 | 461 | #613 |
| 2004 | 424 | #646 |
| 2003 | 494 | #562 |
| 2002 | 417 | #614 |
| 2001 | 393 | #642 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Tess a popular girl name?
Tess ranked #1780 among girls in 2025 with 113 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1118.
When was the name Tess most popular?
Tess peaked in 1992, when 529 American girls received the name (ranked #465 that year). Since 1992 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Tess?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,929 newborn American girls was named Tess. It scores 78/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.