Tess
Girl name · #1780 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Tess? In official American birth records, Tess has been tracked continuously since 1889, giving it 136 years of documented American history.
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: Official national birth records.
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
How old is the name Tess?
In official American birth records, the name Tess first appeared in 1889 (over 136 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.