The TAM game (part 9: Teresa)

[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] was in that first crop of names my now husband and I agreed on, alongside [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]. I think it is honestly the most “normal”/“tailored”/“popular” girls’ name I absolutely love. She had fallen off my radar when I realized that actually my partner is pretty fine with “out there,” but I find myself really drawn back to her again now that I know her two siblings’ names. I think [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] echoes much of the loveliness and the elements I appreciate phonetically about both H0rat1o AND An@sta$io, while clearly not being matchy.

I kind of love that she is so normal because it means I can have at it with the middles and it will still be completely wearable… :slight_smile: I love the harvest meaning, the imagery I get of tall golden grasses, the sense of abundance paired with the feeling tired muscles and sunned shoulders, and fallen acorns in amongst leaves and pinecones. I love the nickname [name_f]Tressie[/name_f], which I found on the SSA longlist a few times a century ago back when I had time to dig deep as a name nerd (before kids). It gives me braided hair vibes.

I’m not really sure why we don’t see more of [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] here on Nameberry. I was surprised to see before posting this that nobody has ever posted a separate topic/post about either [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] or [name_f]Theresa[/name_f] that I found. I think of [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] in the same vain as [name_f]Priscilla[/name_f], [name_f]Alma[/name_f], and [name_f]Frances[/name_f], which see some frequent Nameberry love… [strong but feminine sounds, never out of the top 1000, has a vaguely religious air to it without being offputting to the secular, you probably know one or two but it doesn’t seem overly exposed]. If anyone can illuminate why they don’t like it, please do. What is so wrong with it?

[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] (this spelling) was one of my mom’s two best friends when I was growing up. I have such fond memories of her, particularly of her taking me agate-hunting (aka looking for these awesome iridescent semi-precious stones that wash up on the shores of the beaches where we lived in rural Northern [name_u]California[/name_u]). She has no children and I’m sure would be touched to have a little one named after her. [name_f]My[/name_f] mom would be quite happy, too.

I also know one 6-year-old [name_f]Therese[/name_f] who lives in a different state and I went to high school with a [name_f]Theresa[/name_f] but otherwise have never met or come across any others. [name_m]How[/name_m] many do you know/have you encountered?

[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_u]Artemis[/name_u] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Agate[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Antigone[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Antigone[/name_f] [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alcie[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] Agatte [name_f]Margrid[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Aster[/name_f] Melpomene
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Asterope[/name_f] [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] Asteropée Melpomène
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alienor[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] Arsinoë [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Apolline[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alcione[/name_f] [name_u]Meredith[/name_u]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] Asphodel [name_f]Mauve[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] Asphodel [name_f]Miranda[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] Asphodel Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] Asphodel Maëlys
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Aster[/name_f] [name_f]Madelief[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Araceli[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Ariadne[/name_f] Menodora

Divide into a keep pile and a discard pile, please. Any and all feedback welcomed as well as combo suggestions!
Thanks, Berries!

Maybe it’s the influence of the previous British Prime Minister [name_f]Theresa[/name_f] [name_f]May[/name_f]? She wasn’t a hugely popular figure and the name [name_f]Theresa[/name_f] therefore felt political and not so easily usable. Kind of like [name_u]Hilary[/name_u] or [name_m]Donald[/name_m] in the US at the moment. [name_m]Just[/name_m] a guess.

Anyhow, that aside, [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] is pretty cute and I love [name_f]Tressie[/name_f]

I’d keep
Teresa Artemis Marigold
Teresa Astrid Menodora
Teresa Alienor Marigold
Teresa Apolline Marigold
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] Asphodel Miranda

[name_m]Ah[/name_m], yes. In fact, [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] was on our mutual list for a couple years before she was on our radar in the US… then my partner said he now found it unusable because of [name_f]Theresa[/name_f] [name_f]May[/name_f] (when I was pregnant in 2017). I had forgotten that (and I’m pretty sure he has, too) when we went through our longlist a couple months ago. We don’t hear about her much on this side of the pond anymore. Hopefully her moment has passed… do people see it as usable now?

1 Like

In the UK, I’m not so sure. In the US, possibly it is since the political association isn’t so strong

I can’t speak for other countries, but I think I can explain why Teresa might not be very popular among Britberries: the Theresa spelling is more common here, and it’s considered a dated name (the Theresa May connection did not help).

But when I try to separate it from those cultural connotations, I think it’s a nice name. Familiar, but not overly common, and there are a number of interesting namesakes. I also like the nicknames Tess/Tessa/Tessy (Tressie is very nice too).

I like these the most:
Teresa Artemis Marigold
Teresa Apolline Marigold
Teresa Araceli Menodora
Teresa Ariadne Menodora

[name_f]Theresa[/name_f] is definitely dated here, too (though perhaps not as much as some other mid-century names). [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] has a bit of that, too, by proxy, but because it has never dropped out of the top 1000 and is more streamlined it feels more timeless to me?

1 Like

Teresa is a nice name, I’m personally not the biggest fan simply because it seems dated to me. I grew up knowing a lot of older Teresas/Theresas, in fact my moms best friend was also [name_f]Theresa[/name_f]!!
I want to like her, I really do, but that reason is stopping me I think. Maybe if I met a little [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] my opinion of the name would change!
[name_f]Tressie[/name_f] is such a cute nickname! I’ve only heard of [name_f]Tess[/name_f]/Tessa/Reese being used, but I think I prefer [name_f]Tressie[/name_f]! Also, in the [name_f]Happy[/name_f] Death [name_u]Day[/name_u] films, the main character is named [name_f]Theresa[/name_f] but goes by Tree exclusively. I never would’ve thought of using the name Tree, but I was kinda crushing on it after seeing the movies! [name_f]Tressie[/name_f] gives me similar vibes.

I absolutely love [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alienor[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f] and [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_u]Artemis[/name_u] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]! They have the same magical vibes your other names do. I also think they freshen up [name_f]Teresa[/name_f], and actually make me like her a bit more!!

my favorites:
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alienor[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_u]Artemis[/name_u] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Arsinoe[/name_f] [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Apolline[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Antigone[/name_f] [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Aster[/name_f] [name_f]Madeleif[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Araceli[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Ariadne[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alcie[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alcione[/name_f] [name_u]Meredith[/name_u]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] Agatte [name_f]Margrid[/name_f]

1 Like

Tree! What fun! I love [name_f]Tressie[/name_f] more for now but Tree is an excellent option. So cute amongst the [name_u]Oak[/name_u] and [name_u]Sequoia[/name_u] we know. I also love [name_f]Tess[/name_f] but nothing beats [name_f]Tressie[/name_f] yet.

1 Like

I love:

  1. Teresa [name_f]Alienor[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
  2. Teresa [name_f]Apolline[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
  3. Teresa [name_u]Artemis[/name_u] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]

I also like (not in order):
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Agate[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alcie[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alcione[/name_f] [name_u]Meredith[/name_u]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Aster[/name_f] [name_f]Madelief[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Araceli[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Ariadne[/name_f] Menodora

Since these three seem to be popular:

  • Teresa [name_u]Artemis[/name_u] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
  • Teresa [name_f]Apolline[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
  • Teresa [name_f]Alienor[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]

0 voters

[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alienor[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f] :heart::heart:

1 Like

[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] is my confirmation name and I think if I had to pick a new name for my self now it would be [name_f]Teresa[/name_f]! I like the nickname [name_f]Tressie[/name_f] as well as [name_f]Tess[/name_f], [name_f]Tessa[/name_f], and [name_u]Reese[/name_u].

[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_u]Artemis[/name_u] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f] (LOVE)
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] Menadora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Ariadne[/name_f] Menadora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alienor[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]

[name_u]New[/name_u] combos:
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_u]Artemis[/name_u] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Apolline[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] [name_f]Maelys[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alienor[/name_f] [name_f]Maelys[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] Arisnoe [name_f]Maelys[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Ariadne[/name_f] [name_f]Minerva[/name_f]

1 Like

I’ve only known two [name_f]Teresa[/name_f]’s/Theresa’s that I can recall. One was a [name_f]Sunday[/name_f] school teacher and pastor’s wife at a church I went to when I was a child and the other was a woman I worked with when I was in my early 20s. The second one is a bit brash and has a raspy voice from smoking too many cigarettes, but she is also one of the kindest people you could ever meet once you get to know her. She “adopted” me for the time that I worked there. Both of them were very “mothering”, so I have nothing but positive associations with the name.
I suppose I see it as a bit dated only because they were in their 40s/50s when I was younger, but honestly there’s no reason it should be. You’re right that it is more in line with [name_f]Priscilla[/name_f] and [name_f]Frances[/name_f] and I don’t view those as particularly dated.
I’m liking
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_u]Artemis[/name_u] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Alcie[/name_f] Menodora
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f] [name_f]Araceli[/name_f] Menodora* (the meaning together is super cool😁)

2 Likes

You picked a good one!

That’s so sweet about your Theresas you knew. I am confident [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] can dust off her image a bit in the next decade or so. [name_f]My[/name_f] name was such a fussy old lady name when I was born and I get compliments on it all the time as it has grown so much in popularity since then. I appreciate having been on the trend-setting upswing rather than the peak. I can see [name_f]Teresa[/name_f] going back up soon…

2 Likes