Teresa, Theresa, and Therese (French: Therese) are feminine given names. The name may be derived from the Greek verb therizo (therizo), meaning to harvest. It was originally used as a pet form of the name Elizabeth.
There are many variations in spelling that occur with common names, so do not assume that two people with the same surname must have also been given the same first name. For example, there are several people in Europe named Elizabeth; some of these individuals are related to each other but they have different surnames too. In contrast, there is only one person called Teresa or Therese.
The popularity of the name changed significantly over time. Teresa was the most popular name for girls born in the United States between 1880 and 1890, while Therese was the most popular name for girls born after 1900. However, both names were very rare before 1880.
Currently, Teresa is the most popular version of the name among children in the United States. It is especially common among Hispanic and Latino Americans. Therese is the second most popular version of the name.
Teresa and Therese are commonly used as diminutives or nicknames for women, such as Teena, Tesh, and Teeza.
Teresa, Theresa, and Therese (French: Therese) are all feminine given names...
Pronunciation | /təˈriːzə, -sə/ |
Gender | Female |
Other names | |
---|---|
Alternative spelling | Theresa, Terisa |
Nickname(s) | Terri, Terry, Tracy, Tess, Teresita |
Theresa is a Spanish, Greek, and Portuguese girl's name that means "to harvest."
It was originally used in Spain to refer to girls born during wheat harvest time. The name became popular among Europeans traveling to the New World.
The name was brought to America by immigrants from Portugal, Spain, and Greece. These countries are known for their wheat production so it makes sense that a girl would be named after a harvest product.
In Portugal, there is a family of pig farmers who have used the same name since 1640. They are considered one of the oldest living families in the country. Their story has been told in a book called "The Herreros (The Wheat Growers) of Portugal."
There is also a French family name derived from Theresia which dates back to 1556. It may be used as a first name alone or in combination with other names such as Amalia, Elisabeth, or Margareta.
There is a street in Brooklyn, New York called Theresa Avenue that was named after its original owner, Theresa Helman. She was a German immigrant who owned a grocery store there until her death in 1916 at the age of 79.
French. Popularity: 5339. Late summer, meaning Therese is a variation of the Greek name Theresa as a girl's name. Therese is slang for "late summer."
Therese is a female given name popular in France and several other countries around the world. It may be used as a first name or as an element in a surname. There are many variations of this name, including Theresia, Theressa, Thersa, Thérèse and Thersa.
The name Therese was originally derived from the Greek name Theressa. This name was in turn derived from the Hebrew name Tsedeh, which means "righteous" or "just". The spelling Therese came into use in France during the 17th century. It became very popular after being introduced by Pope Benedict XIV in his pastoral letter Dilectus Catholici on December 3, 1740.
Dilectus Catholici was addressed to the clergy of France and had as its main theme the need to preserve Catholic unity within France. In this document, the pope calls upon the Catholics of France to establish schools where children would be taught the values of Catholicism. He also requests that churches be built in poor villages so that people have places to go and receive holy communion.