Tess
Girl name · #1780 in 2025 · Very rare
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. 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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Tess is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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
State-level data for Tess is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.