Theresa
A name of Greek origin whose source is disputed; proposals include theros, summer, and the island of Therasia. Spanish and Portuguese use spread it after Teresa of Avila.
Theresa in 2025
Theresa was given to 136 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 2,879th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 24,378 babies born.
The history of Theresa
Theresa reached its highest point in 1961, when 11,991 babies were given the name, ranking 72nd that year. Its best-ever ranking was 71st, in 1958.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 405,831 babies have been named Theresa. Half of them were born before 1957, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Baby Boomers.
Theresa by decade
| Decade | Babies named Theresa | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 2,505 | 159 |
| 1890s | 4,735 | 137 |
| 1900s | 6,406 | 128 |
| 1910s | 18,375 | 133 |
| 1920s | 36,795 | 90 |
| 1930s | 32,945 | 95 |
| 1940s | 35,894 | 122 |
| 1950s | 89,789 | 71 |
| 1960s | 97,412 | 72 |
| 1970s | 40,250 | 110 |
| 1980s | 22,507 | 204 |
| 1990s | 10,606 | 404 |
| 2000s | 4,555 | 797 |
| 2010s | 2,198 | 1,690 |
| 2020s | 859 | 2,595 |
Where Theresa is heading
Theresa has fallen 35% over the past decade, from 210 babies in 2015 to 136 in 2025.
That is less than 5% of its 1961 peak — Theresa is now a rare name in the United States.
Names like Theresa
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Theresa.