Theresa

English form of the Spanish Teresa
"to harvest"

Theresa Origin and Meaning

The name Theresa is a girl's name of Spanish, Greek, Portuguese origin meaning "to harvest".

The popular appeal of the strong, intelligent Saint Teresa of Avila, combined with the selfless compassion of the more recent Mother Teresa, have fused to give this second-tier classic a somewhat noble, religious image. Although the origins of the name are uncertain, it has been prevalent particularly in forms Theresa, Teresa, and Therese throughout Europe for centuries.

Mother Teresa was born Anjeze/Agnese Gonxhe; when taking her vows, she chose to be named after Thérèse de Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries, but because another nun in the convent had already chosen that name, she opted for the Spanish spelling Teresa.

A Top 100 name until the 1960s, reaching Number 32 in 1956, Theresa fell off the list completely in 2011, while the sleeker Teresa still holds at Number 719; it was as high as Number 18 from 1961 to 1963.

Currently, a leading character on The Mentalist is Teresa Lisbon.

Short forms Tess,Tessa, Tressa, or Tea are more popular now than the old Terry or Tracy. An interesting variation is Tereza, as in Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Mia Farrow's sister Theresa is known as Tisa.

# 940 in the US

Theresa Rank in US Top 1000

# 715 on Nameberry

Theresa Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Theresa Popularity

Famous People Named Theresa

  • Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina
    Queen of Germany; Holy Roman Empress
  • Theresa Mary Braiser May
    current British Prime Minister
  • Theresa Weld
    American Olympic figure skater
  • Theresa Shank Grentz
    American basketball coach
  • Theresa Caputo
    American psychic and TV personality of "Long Island Medium"
  • Thérésa Cabarrus
    Madame Tallien, leading social figure during the French Revolution
  • Theresa Hak Kyung Cha
    American novelist
  • Theresa Saldana
    American actress
  • Theresa Randle
    American actress
  • Theresa Zabell
    Spanish Olympic sailor
  • Theresa Magdalena "Tisa" Farrow
    sister of American actress Mia Farrow
  • Theresa Anne Villiers
    British MP
  • Theresa Lynn Russell
    American actress
  • Theresa Rebeck
    American playwright and novelist
  • Theresa Fu
    Hong Kong pop singer
  • Theresa (born Therese Charlotte Marianne Auguste)
    Princess of Bavaria, German ethnologist
  • Theresa Maria Josepha Martha
    Princess of Liechtenstein; Princess of Bavaria
  • Theresa Monika Valerie Elisabeth Ludovika Walburga Anna
    Princess of Bavaria, Archduchess of Austria
  • Theresa Owana Kaʻohelelani Laʻanui
    Princess of Hawai'i
  • Theresa Anna Elisabeth (b. 1992)
    Princess of Leiningen; daughter of Prince Karl Emich

Theresa in Pop Culture

  • Theresa "Terri" McGreggor
    character on TV's "Degrassi: The Next Generation"
  • Theresa Diaz
    character on TV's "The O.C."
  • (Jeannie) Theresa Donovan
    character on American soap "Days of our Lives"
  • Theresa Tatum
    character in short film "Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade"
  • Theresa "Tessa" Young
    main character in "After" by Anna Todd
  • Theresa Mariah Magdalene McQueen
    character on British soap "Hollyoaks"
  • Theresa "Terry" Cherry Perry
    character on TV's "Lab Rats"
  • Theresa Cullen
    character in TV's "Westworld"
  • Theresa "Tessa" Gray
    main character in Cassandra Clare's "The Infernal Devices" book series.
  • Theresa "Tree" Gelbman
    main character in "Happy Death Day" and "Happy Death Day 2 U"