I’ve been really loving the name/nickname [name]Tess[/name] for a while now, but I feel like a fuller name would fit better on my girls’ list–any ideas?
[name]Tessa[/name] is out (The whole using a nn as a given name only to use a nn for the nn doesn’t really make sense to me. I’d just go with [name]Tess[/name] itself!), and I’m not convinced of [name]Theresa[/name] yet (although it is growing on me. It still feels a bit too vintage for me, though! But it is a family name, probably my grandmother’s namesake, since they shared a MN, which has bonus points for me). Contessa and [name]Quintessa[/name] are too out-there for me, though I can appreciate them. Any other ideas? I don’t really want anything too out-there, but I think I’ve talked myself out of all the options.
I actually don’t mind [name]Theresa[/name] but it does have a vintage sound. I know it’s just slipped off the Top 1000 but I think that could be a good thing actually?
International versions of [name]Theresa[/name] like [name]Teresita[/name] or [name]Terese[/name] or Tessan? Tessan is a Swedish diminutive of [name]Theresa[/name] (like [name]Karen[/name] is a Danish/Norweigan diminuitive of [name]Katherine[/name]).
According to Behind the Name, Tesni is a Welsh girl’s name that means “warmth from the sun.”
I think [name]Theresa[/name] would fit perfectly on your list what about [name]Therese[/name] I know we had talked about that in the past? I have also heard of [name]Teskia[/name] before, it would definitely have spunk and reminds me a lot of [name]Eliska[/name] which I know you loved in the past.
I always loved [name]Theresa[/name] because of [name]Barbie[/name]'s doll friend. I also knew a [name]Theresa[/name] when I was in Girl Guides, so the name always seemed great to me as a kid. Now that I’m older, and name wiser, it is more vintage, but still very usable to me. It is more vintage than your other top ten girls though. It’s only a touch more vintage than [name]Rachel[/name] imo.
[name]Eva[/name] and [name]Theresa[/name] would be lovely as sisters.
I was such a [name]Barbie[/name] freak as a kid (ok still a bit) that I have to pipe up and say her friend was [name]Teresa[/name], no h because she was supposed to be Latina.
I wouldn’t have thought [name]Theresa[/name]/[name]Teresa[/name] was VASTLY more vintage-sounding than [name]Rachel[/name], [name]Hannah[/name], or [name]Eva[/name]? They all sound good together to me.
I love [name]Theresa[/name]/[name]Teresa[/name], and Contessa is gorgeous! (I tried to name a character [name]Cadenza[/name] once, accidentally mixed a bit of Contessa in there and ended up with Contenza- oops, happy mistake. She went by [name]Connie[/name], though)
Here’s the first thing that popped in my head though: Tessaly. Like [name]Thessaly[/name]. But easier to say. Tessalie? Tessalee?
[name]Just[/name] flashed back to the book Tallahassee Higgins that I read, oh, two decades ago. Tallahassee is my new suggestion for [name]Tess[/name].
I used to know a Tessla and thought that was pretty. However, if you go with the other spelling (Tesla), you have the last name of a great physicist ([name]Nikola[/name] Tesla), the name of an [name]SI[/name] unit for strength of a magnetic field, and the name of an electric car company in [name]California[/name].
Tesla the car company is going to explode–Motor Trends’ Car of the Year, etc etc (my husband is obsessed with them), so I would stay far away from Tesla/Tessla.
My favorite longform of [name]Tess[/name] is [name]Therese[/name]. Somehow [name]Theresa[/name] sounds really [name]Jersey[/name] Girl to me, but [name]Therese[/name] sounds artistic and classic and feminine.
I love the suggestion of [name]Tempest[/name].
I’ll add [name]Temperance[/name], [name]Thomasina[/name], [name]Thomasine[/name], [name]Tuesday[/name] & [name]Theodosia[/name].
Thanks, ladies! A lot of these are lovely, just not hitting the spot for me.
I’m intrigued by Tessalie, and have to admit I quite like it–but is it a real name? I need a legitimate name with meaning and history behind it, I’m afraid. I think Tessalie sounds adorable, but I’m not sure I could use it if it was a modern smoosh. I like [name]Tasmin[/name] and [name]Tempest[/name], too, but not enough to use them.
My only other thoughts are [name]Elisabeth[/name] nn [name]Tess[/name] and [name]Beatrix[/name]/[name]Beatrice[/name] nn [name]Tess[/name]–I’ve heard both, but I’m not sure if they’re too out-there. [name]Elisabeth[/name] nn [name]Tess[/name] can work for me, but I really don’t think I’d ever use [name]Elisabeth[/name] if I’d already used [name]Isabelle[/name]…
I’ve come across Edessa/[name]Odessa[/name]/[name]Adessa[/name], and I think that would be perfect for [name]Tess[/name], but I’m not sure I really love it. I have issues with the Nazi connection to [name]Odessa[/name], too…
I think it’d honestly come down to [name]Theresa[/name] or just [name]Tess[/name]…
Or a T first name with an S/S-sounding middle, eg, [name]Thalia[/name] [name]Seraphine[/name], [name]Tabitha[/name] [name]Sophie[/name], [name]Thea[/name] [name]Celeste[/name] . . .?
I really love [name]Tess[/name] as is, personally. I think it’s fine with your favorites.
ETA: Actually, just [name]Celeste[/name] may also work. Or in a very stretchy universe, [name]Felicity[/name].
[name]Tess[/name] is traditionally the nn for [name]Teresa[/name], but you can be more imaginative if you want. [name]How[/name] about [name]Esther[/name]? Or anything that begins with T.
I’d just go with [name]Tess[/name] itself!), and I’m not convinced of [name]Theresa[/name] yet (although it is growing on me. It still feels a bit too vintage for me, though! But it is a family name, probably my grandmother’s namesake, since they shared a MN, which has bonus points for me). Contessa and [name]Quintessa[/name] are too out-there for me, though I can appreciate them. Any other ideas? I don’t really want anything too out-there, but I think I’ve talked myself out of all the options. 
I think Tessalie sounds adorable, but I’m not sure I could use it if it was a modern smoosh. I like [name]Tasmin[/name] and [name]Tempest[/name], too, but not enough to use them.