Tressa

While Tessa is now preferred, this slightly sharper diminutive of Theresa was the more familiar option in the early 20th-century. It enjoyed a brief return to the US charts in the 60s and 70s but is currently given only to a handful of girls each year.

Also associated with a word for long hair (tresses) and a river in Tuscany, it doubles up as a modern Cornish name, meaning "third".

Pronounced TRES-ah.

As of October 2026, Tressa ranked #14783 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #526 in 1896.