Tessa
Girl name · #311 in 2025 · Uniqueness 55/100
Tessa ranks #311 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 978 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #208, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,840 girls born in 2025 was named Tessa.
The 134-year story
Tessa first appears in the Social Security records in 1891, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2007, when 1,753 girls were named Tessa — good for #190 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.
Babies named Tessa per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Tessa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Tessa in class?
Tessa scores 55 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Tessa is most common
Geography matters for names, and Tessa is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Tessas were TX (98), CA (94), NY (64), IL (52), NJ (44). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Tessa
Statistically, parents drawn to Tessa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Alyssa, Dakota, Talia, Kira, and Fatima.
AlyssaDakotaTaliaKiraFatimaJulissaElisaDaniela
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Tessa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 978 | #311 |
| 2024 | 1,036 | #303 |
| 2023 | 964 | #323 |
| 2022 | 973 | #331 |
| 2021 | 1,118 | #287 |
| 2020 | 1,135 | #280 |
| 2019 | 1,268 | #260 |
| 2018 | 1,329 | #245 |
| 2017 | 1,296 | #245 |
| 2016 | 1,395 | #229 |
| 2015 | 1,560 | #208 |
| 2014 | 1,527 | #221 |
| 2013 | 1,324 | #244 |
| 2012 | 1,366 | #233 |
| 2011 | 1,391 | #229 |
| 2010 | 1,427 | #221 |
| 2009 | 1,569 | #207 |
| 2008 | 1,660 | #203 |
| 2007 | 1,753 | #190 |
| 2006 | 1,354 | #251 |
| 2005 | 1,224 | #269 |
| 2004 | 1,184 | #275 |
| 2003 | 1,112 | #281 |
| 2002 | 1,064 | #294 |
| 2001 | 1,047 | #300 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Tessa a popular girl name?
Tessa ranked #311 among girls in 2025 with 978 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #208.
When was the name Tessa most popular?
Tessa peaked in 2007, when 1,753 American girls received the name (ranked #190 that year). Since 2007 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Tessa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,840 newborn American girls was named Tessa. It scores 55/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.