Theresa
Girl name · #1548 in 2025 · Uniqueness 70/100
Theresa ranks #1548 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 136 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1193, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,235 girls born in 2025 was named Theresa.
The 145-year story
Theresa first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 153 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1961, when 11,960 girls were named Theresa — good for #35 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Theresa per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Theresa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Theresa in class?
Theresa scores 70 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 Theresa will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Theresa is most common
Geography matters for names, and Theresa is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Theresas were NY (15), CA (11), PA (10), TX (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 Theresa
Statistically, parents drawn to Theresa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Teresa, Belinda, Tamara, Brenda, and Cynthia.
TeresaBelindaTamaraBrendaCynthiaLucindaThereseLisa
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Theresa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 136 | #1548 |
| 2024 | 146 | #1492 |
| 2023 | 123 | #1681 |
| 2022 | 148 | #1478 |
| 2021 | 150 | #1432 |
| 2020 | 156 | #1398 |
| 2019 | 184 | #1259 |
| 2018 | 224 | #1101 |
| 2017 | 219 | #1131 |
| 2016 | 210 | #1188 |
| 2015 | 210 | #1193 |
| 2014 | 226 | #1121 |
| 2013 | 198 | #1210 |
| 2012 | 232 | #1075 |
| 2011 | 213 | #1150 |
| 2010 | 282 | #919 |
| 2009 | 283 | #942 |
| 2008 | 342 | #830 |
| 2007 | 379 | #767 |
| 2006 | 394 | #717 |
| 2005 | 440 | #636 |
| 2004 | 410 | #671 |
| 2003 | 494 | #562 |
| 2002 | 532 | #516 |
| 2001 | 602 | #461 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Theresa a popular girl name?
Theresa ranked #1548 among girls in 2025 with 136 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1193.
When was the name Theresa most popular?
Theresa peaked in 1961, when 11,960 American girls received the name (ranked #35 that year). Since 1961 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Theresa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,235 newborn American girls was named Theresa. It scores 70/100 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.