Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; french: Thérèse) is a feminine given name.
It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or reap", or from θέρος (''theros'') "summer".
It is first recorded in the form ''Therasia'', the name of
Therasia of Nola
Therasia (fl. 381 - 408–10) was a Christian aristocrat from Spain. Through her marriage to Paulinus of Nola, she encouraged his conversion to Christianity and was influential in the early church, co-writing epistles and co-patron of the cult o ...
, an aristocrat of the 4th century.
Its popularity outside of Iberia increased because of saint
Teresa of Ávila
Teresa of Ávila, OCD (born Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada; 28 March 15154 or 15 October 1582), also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, was a Spanish Carmelite nun and prominent Spanish mystic and religious reformer.
Active during t ...
, and more recently
Thérèse of Lisieux
Thérèse of Lisieux (french: Thérèse de Lisieux ), born Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin (2 January 1873 – 30 September 1897), also known as Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (), was a French Catholic Discalced Carmelit ...
and
Mother Teresa
Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, MC (; 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997), better known as Mother Teresa ( sq, Nënë Tereza), was an Indian-Albanian Catholic nun who, in 1950, founded the Missionaries of Charity. Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu () was ...
.
In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
it was ranked as the 852nd most popular name for girls born in 2008, down from 226th in 1992 (it ranked 65th in 1950, and 102nd in 1900). Spelled "Teresa," it was the 580th most popular name for girls born in 2008, down from 206th in 1992 (it ranked 81st in 1950, and 220th in 1900).
People
In aristocracy:
*
Teresa of Portugal (disambiguation) Teresa of Portugal may refer to:
* Theresa, Countess of Portugal (1080–1130), mother of Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal
* Theresa of Portugal, Countess of Flanders (1157–1218), daughter of Afonso Henriques and wife of Philip, Coun ...
**
Theresa, Countess of Portugal
Theresa ( Portuguese: ''Teresa''; Galician-Portuguese: ''Tareja'' or ''Tareixa''; Latin: ''Tarasia'') (1080 – 11 November 1130) was Countess of Portugal, and for a time claimant to be its independent Queen. She rebelled against her half-si ...
(1080–1130), mother of Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal
** Theresa of Portugal, Countess of Flanders (1157–1218), daughter of Afonso Henriques and wife of Philip, Count of Flanders
**
Theresa of Portugal, Queen of León
Theresa of Portugal; 1176 – 18 June 1250) was Queen of Léon as the first wife of her first cousin King Alfonso IX of León. She was born the oldest daughter of Sancho I of Portugal and Dulce of Aragon. When her marriage was annulled becaus ...
(1181–1250), daughter of Sancho I of Portugal and wife of Alfonso IX of León
**
Infanta Maria Teresa of Braganza
Infanta Maria Teresa of Braganza ( or ; 29 April 1793 – 17 January 1874) was the firstborn child of John VI of Portugal and Carlota Joaquina of Spain, and heir presumptive to the throne of Portugal between 1793 and 1795, until her short-lived br ...
(1793-1874), firstborn child of John VI of Portugal
*
Teresa Lubomirska
Princess Teresa Katharina Lubomirska (1 January 1685 – 6 January 1712) was a Polish noblewoman.http://genealogia.grocholski.pl/gd/osoba.php?id=018696 She was the second spouse of Count Palatine Charles Philip of Neuburg, who became Elector ...
, Polish noble lady
*
Teresa of the Two Sicilies
Dona Teresa Cristina (14 March 182228 December 1889), nicknamed "the Mother of the Brazilians", was the Empress consort of Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil, who reigned from 1831 to 1889. Born a Princess of the Kingdom of the Two Sicil ...
, Empress-consort of Brazil
*
Teresa, Contessa Guiccioli
Teresa, Contessa Guiccioli (1800–1873) was the married lover of Lord Byron while he was living in Ravenna and writing the first five cantos of '' Don Juan''. She wrote the biographical account ''Lord Byron's Life in Italy''.
On 19 January 1 ...
(1800–1873), the married lover of Lord Byron in Ravenna
In the arts:
*
Teresa Berganza
Teresa Berganza Vargas OAXS (16 March 1933 – 13 May 2022) was a Spanish mezzo-soprano. She is most closely associated with roles such as Rossini's Rosina and La Cenerentola, and later Bizet's Carmen, admired for her technical virtuosity, mu ...
, Spanish opera singer
*
Teresa Brewer
Teresa Brewer (born Theresa Veronica Breuer; May 7, 1931 – October 17, 2007) was an American singer whose style incorporated pop, country, jazz, R&B, musicals, and novelty songs. She was one of the most prolific and popular female singers of th ...
, American pop and jazz singer
*
Teresa Carpenter
Teresa Carpenter (born 1948) is an American author. Her awards include the Pulitzer Prize for best feature writing.
Biography
Teresa Carpenter was born in Independence, Missouri. She lives with her husband Steven Levy in New York's Greenwich Vill ...
Teresa Carpio
Teresa Carpio (born 30 September 1956) is a Hong Kong English- and Cantonese-language pop singer, actress, and singing teacher. Carpio was popular in Hong Kong during the 1970s and 1980s. She is the paternal cousin of actress and singer Rita Ca ...
, Cantopop singer and actress
*
Teresa Carreño
María Teresa Gertrudis de Jesús Carreño García (December 22, 1853June 12, 1917) was a Venezuelan pianist, soprano, composer, and conductor. Over the course of her 54-year concert career, she became an internationally renowned virtuoso piani ...
, Venezuelan musician
*
Teresa Cheung (socialite)
Teresa Cheung Siu-wai () (born June 10, 1963) is a Canadian actress and producer.
Early life
Born in Hong Kong to parents of Shanghainese descent, Cheung appeared in her first advertisement at the age of three.
She was born in a scholarly fam ...
, Hong Kong socialite and actress
*
Teresa De Sio
Teresa De Sio (born 3 November 1952) is an Italian pop-folk singer and songwriter. She is the elder sister of actress Giuliana De Sio.
Biography and career
Teresa De Sio was born in Naples and grew up in Cava de' Tirreni, where her family was ori ...
, Italian folk singer-songwriter
*
Teresa Edgerton
Teresa Edgerton (born 1949) is an author of fantasy novels and short stories set in worlds that parallel the Middle Ages and the 18th century.
Literary biography
Born Teresa Ann Waller in Van Nuys, California, in 1949, she lived in the Los Ang ...
, American author of fantasy novels and short stories
*
Theresa Fu
Theresa Fu (born 22 September 1984) is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer, film and television actress, and model.
Fu was introduced by the Talent Bang model agency in order to become a pop star. She started her career in 2002 as one of the members of ...
, Hong Kong singer and actress
*
Teresa Gallagher
Teresa Gallagher is an American-born British actress.
Career
Gallagher is known for her role as Ellen Smith in ''The Bill'', for her appearances on radio in ''No Commitments'', ''Salem's Lot'', and ''Memorials to the Missing''. She playe ...
, British actress
*
Therese Grankvist
Therese Grankvist (born 2 May 1977) is a Swedish singer and songwriter. She started recording in 1997 under the Drömhus alias, and goes by Therese since the release of her single "Monkey" in 2002. She may be best known for her internationally ...
, Swedish singer
*
Teresa Graves
Terresa M. Graves (January 10, 1948October 10, 2002), credited as Teresa Graves, was an American actress and singer best known for her starring role as undercover police detective Christie Love in the ABC crime-drama television series '' Get Ch ...
, American actress and singer
*
Theresa Harris
Theresa Harris (December 31, 1906 – October 8, 1985) was an American television and film actress, singer and dancer.
Early life
Harris was born on New Year's Eve 1906 (some sources indicate 1909) in Houston, Texas, to Isaiah and Mable Harris ...
, American actress, dancer and singer
* Theresa Ikoko, British playwright
*
Teresa Medeiros
Teresa Medeiros (born 1962/1963) is an American award-winning romance novelist. She wrote her first novel at 21. Before becoming an author, she was a nurse. According to her official biography, she lives in Kentucky.
Her books have appeared on ...
Teresa Palmer
Teresa Mary Palmer (born 26 February 1986) is an Australian actress. She began her career with roles in '' Bedtime Stories'' (2008), ''The Sorcerer's Apprentice'' (2010), '' Take Me Home Tonight'' (2011), and '' I Am Number Four'' (2011). She r ...
, Australian actress
*
Teresa Parente
Teresa Parente is an American actress and singer.
Career
She is best known for her recurrent role on the Fox Broadcasting Company's sitcom '' Married... with Children'' as hapless television reporter "Miranda Veracruz de la Hoya Cardinal", who ...
Teresa Reichlen
Teresa Reichlen (born ) is an American ballet dancer. She joined the New York City Ballet in 2001, was promoted to principal dancer in 2009, and retired in 2022.
Early life
Reichlen was born in Clifton, Virginia. She has three brothers. When sh ...
, American ballet dancer
*
Theresa Russell
Theresa Lynn Russell ( Paup; born March 20, 1957) is an American actress whose career spans over four decades. Her filmography includes over fifty feature films, ranging from mainstream to independent and experimental films.
Born in San Diego, ...
, American actress
*
Theresa Saldana
Theresa Saldana (August 20, 1954 – June 6, 2016) was an American actress, activist, and writer. She is known for her role as Rachel Scali, the wife of Police Commissioner Tony Scali, in the 1990s television series '' The Commish'', for which s ...
, American actress
*
Teresa Salgueiro
Maria Teresa de Almeida Salgueiro OIH () is a Portuguese singer. She is best known as the lead singer of Madredeus from 1987 until 2007. She also appeared in Wim Wenders' film '' Lisbon Story.''
Career
Salgueiro joined Madredeus after other ...
, Portuguese singer
*
Theresa Sokyrka
Theresa Sokyrka (born 1 April 1981) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. On the Canadian Idol (Season 2), second season of ''Canadian Idol'', she was the final runner-up to winner Kalan Porter.
Biography
Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Sokyrka s ...
, Canadian singer-songwriter
*
Teresa Stratas
Teresa Stratas (born May 26, 1938) is a retired operatic soprano from Canada of Greek descent. She is especially well known for her award-winning recording of Alban Berg's '' Lulu''.
Early life and career
Stratas was born Anastasia Stratakis t ...
, Canadian soprano
*
Teresa Teng
Teng Li-Chun (; 29 January 1953 – 8 May 1995), commonly known as Teresa Teng, was a Taiwanese singer, actress, musician and philanthropist. Referred to by some as " Asia's eternal queen of pop," Teng became a cultural icon for her contributio ...
, Taiwanese queen of pop
*
Teresa Villaverde
Teresa Villaverde (born 18 May 1966) is a Portuguese film director. Her film ''Os Mutantes'' was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival.
Filmography
*''A Idade Maior'' (1991)
*'' Três Irmãos'' (1994)
*''Os Mu ...
, Portuguese film director
* Lady Teresa Waugh, British novelist and translator
*
Teresa Wright
Muriel Teresa Wright (October 27, 1918 – March 6, 2005) was an American actress. She was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress: in 1941 for her debut work in '' The Little Foxes'', and in 1942 for '' Mrs. Miniver' ...
, Academy Award-winning American actress
* Teresa Żarnowerówna, Polish avant-garde artist
In politics:
*
Theresa Ahearn
Theresa Ahearn (; 1 May 1951 – 20 September 2000) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála for the Tipperary South constituency from 1989 to 2000.
Political career
Her first elected office was as a member of South T ...
(1951-2000), Irish Member of Parliament
*
Teresa Aquino-Oreta
Maria Teresa Aquino-Oreta (born Maria Teresa Aquino Aquino; June 28, 1944 – May 14, 2020), better known as Tessie Aquino-Oreta, was a Filipina politician. She was the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture in th ...
(born 1944), Filipino politician
* Teresa Bellanova, Italian Minister of Agriculture
*
Teresa Cheng (politician)
Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah (; born 11 November 1958) is a Hong Kong Senior Counsel, arbitrator and politician. She served as Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong from 2018 to 2022. She was also the chairperson of the Financial Dispute Resolution Ce ...
, Hong Kong Justice Minister
* Teresa Gutierrez, American politician
*
Teresa Heinz
Teresa Heinz (born Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões-Ferreira; October 5, 1938), also known as Teresa Heinz Kerry, is a Portuguese-American businesswoman and philanthropist. Heinz is the widow of former U.S. Senator John Heinz and the wife of fo ...
(born 1938), former widow of U.S. Senator H. John Heinz III; wife of Senator John Kerry
*
Teresa Isaac
Teresa Isaac, an American politician, served as mayor of Lexington, Kentucky from 2003 to 2007.
Political life
Isaac was elected to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government council as an At-Large member in 1988. In 1992, she was reelected ...
, American politician, former mayor of Lexington, Kentucky
*
Teresa Kok
Teresa Kok Suh Sim (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ''Kwo̍k Su-tshim''; born 31 March 1964) is a Malaysian politician who served as the Minister of Primary Industries in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad ...
, Malaysian Member of Parliament
*
Theresa May
Theresa Mary May, Lady May (; née Brasier; born 1 October 1956) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. She previously served in David Cameron's cabi ...
, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party; UK Member of Parliament
*
Teresa Mosqueda
Teresa Carmen Mosqueda (born July 4, 1980) is an American politician and labor activist from Seattle, Washington. She was elected to the Seattle City Council in 2017 to represent the at-large position 8. In 2023, she announced that she would run ...
Teresa Ribera
Teresa Ribera Rodríguez (born 19 May 1969) is a Spanish jurist, university professor, and politician who has served as the Minister for the Ecological Transition of Spain since 2018, after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez coming into power follow ...
(born 1969), Spanish jurist, university professor and politician
*
Teresa Riera
Teresa Riera Madurell (born 13 October 1950 in Barcelona) is a Spanish politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 until 2014. She is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, part of the Party of European Social ...
(born 1950), Spanish politician
*
Teresa Rodríguez
María Teresa Rodríguez-Rubio Vázquez (; born 18 September 1981) is a Spanish politician. Active in the United Left in her youth, she then set up her own platform, Anticapitalistas. She was a Member of the European Parliament representing Po ...
, Spanish politician
*
Teresa Tomlinson
Teresa Pike Tomlinson (born February 19, 1965) is an Americans, American politician and attorney. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she was elected and served as the 69th List of mayors of Columbus, Georgia, May ...
, American politician
*
Theresa Villiers
Theresa Anne Villiers (born 5 March 1968) is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chipping Barnet since 2005, having previously served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2005. A member of the ...
, UK Member of Parliament
*
Teresa Wat
Teresa Wat (, born 1949 or 1950) is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2013 British Columbia general election, 2013 provincial election. She represents the electoral district of Richmond ...
List of saints named Teresa
Saints named Teresa include:
*Teresa of Ávila, Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582), or Teresa of Jesus, Spaniard, founder of the Discalced Carmelites, and Doctor of the Church
*Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897), or Teresa of the Child Jesu ...
* Teresa Chikaba, Ghanaian princess declared Venerable by the Catholic Church
*
Teresa Demjanovich
Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, SC (March 26, 1901 – May 8, 1927) was an American Ruthenian Catholic Sister of Charity who has been beatified by the Catholic Church. The beatification ceremony was the first to take place in the United States.
...
, American nun of the Sisters of Charity
In sports:
* Teresa Ciepły, Polish sprinter
*
Teresa Earnhardt
Teresa Earnhardt (née Houston; born October 29, 1958) is the third wife and widow of Dale Earnhardt. She is the biological mother of Taylor Nicole Earnhardt (born December 20, 1988) and she is the stepmother of Kerry Earnhardt, Kelley Earnhardt ...
, widow of racing legend Dale Earnhardt, also known as the "wicked witch" by much of the NASCAR fandom
*
Teresa Edwards
Teresa Edwards (born July 19, 1964) is an American former women's basketball player and four time Olympic gold medalist.
In 2000, ''Sports Illustrated'' magazine placed her as 22nd of the "100 Greatest Female Athletes of the 20th Century". She ...
Teresa Piccini
Teresa Piccini is a Mexican ten-pin bowler. She finished in 15th position of the combined rankings at the 2006 AMF World Cup.Teresa Rivera, Mexican swimmer
*
Teresa Rohmann
Teresa Rohmann (born July 24, 1987 in Nuremberg) is a medley swimmer from Germany. She competed for her native country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) ...
, German medley swimmer
* Teresa Ruiz, American State Senator from New Jersey
*
Teresa Vaill
Teresa Vaill (born November 20, 1962) is a female racewalker from the United States. She was born in Torrington, Connecticut.
Vaill set her personal best in the women's 20 km race walk event (1:33:23) on April 1, 2001, at a meet in Manassas, ...
, American racewalker
*
Theresa Zabell
Theresa Zabell Lucas (born 22 May 1965 in Ipswich, Suffolk) is a Spanish sailor who won gold medal both in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, and in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. A member of ''Real Club de Mediterráneo Mál ...
, Spanish sailor
other:
* Teresa Cormack, murder victim from New Zealand
* Theresa Lawson (1951-2014), Australian convicted of embezzlement
*
Teresa Magbanua
Teresa Magbanua y Ferraris (October 13, 1868 – August 1947), better known as Teresa Magbanua and dubbed as the "Visayan Joan of Arc", was a Filipino schoolteacher and military leader. Born in Pototan, Iloilo, Philippines, she retired from edu ...
, Filipino schoolteacher and revolutionary
*
Teresa Rodrigo
Teresa Rodrigo Anoro (195621 April 2020) was a Spanish scientist who worked in particle physics. She worked at CERN, Fermilab and the and was professor at the University of Cantabria. Whilst at CERN, Rodrigo worked on the Compact Muon Solenoi ...
(1956-2020), Spanish scientist
* Teresa Sampsonia, Persian noblewoman, diplomat, adventuress
* Teresa Webber, British palaeographer, medievalist, and academic
*
Teresa Sickles
Teresa Bagioli Sickles (1836 – February 5, 1867) was the wife of Democratic New York State Assemblyman, U.S. Representative, and later U.S. Army Major General Daniel E. Sickles. She gained notoriety in 1859, when her husband murdered her lover, ...
, wife of Daniel Edgar Sickles, who stood trial for killing her lover
Fictional characters
*Teresa
Tracy Bond
Teresa "Tracy" Bond (born Teresa "Tracy" Draco, and also known as the Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo) is a fictional character and the main Bond girl in the 1963 James Bond novel ''On Her Majesty's Secret Service'', and its 1969 film adaptation. ...
Teresa Bryant
Teresa Bryant (also Morton) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Karen Henthorn. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 28 March 2007. She made her final app ...
, on the British soap opera ''Coronation Street''
*Theresa Burke, wife of main character Ethan Burke on the American TV series ''
Wayward Pines
''Wayward Pines'' is an American mystery science fiction television series based on the ''Wayward Pines'' novels by Blake Crouch. Developed for television by Chad Hodge, the pilot was directed by M. Night Shyamalan, with both as executive prod ...
''
*
Teresa Cammeniti
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the Network Ten soap opera '' Neighbours'' in 2006, by order of first appearance. They were all introduced by the show's executive producer Ric Pellizzeri. The 22nd season of ''Neighbo ...
, on the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours''
*Theresa Rourke Cassidy, alter-ego of the ''Marvel Comics'' heroine
Siryn
Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Debuting under the codename Siryn, she later retired the name and went by Banshee, in h ...
*Teresa Chávez, protagonist and villain from the TV series Teresa (2010 telenovela), ''Teresa''
*Theresa "Tess" Durbeyfield, title character of Thomas Hardy's novel ''Tess of the d'Urbervilles''
*Theresa Fowler, from the animated TV series ''Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja''
*Theresa "Tessa" Gray, protagonist and main character of ''The Infernal Devices'' novel series by Cassandra Clare
*Teresa Lisbon, one of the main characters in the drama ''The Mentalist''
*Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald, a main character in the soap opera ''Passions''
*Theresa Terri McGreggor, in ''Degrassi: The Next Generation''
*Theresa McQueen, from the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks''
*Teresa Moreno, wife of Richard Sharpe in Bernard Cornwell's ''Sharpe'' series of historical fiction
*Teresa Parker, long lost younger sister of Spider-Man, Peter Parker / Spider-Man from Marvel Comics.
*Theresa Russo, from ''Wizards of Waverly Place''
*Theresa Spencer, girlfriend and research partner of the character Daniel Faraday from the TV series ''Lost (TV series), Lost''
*Teresa Wisemail, from the PlayStation role-playing game ''Suikoden II''
*Theresa, an immortal seeress, one of the main characters in the ''Fable (video game series), Fable'' video game series
*Teresa (Barbie), a fashion doll and Barbie's best friend
*Teresa, from James Dashner's book series ''The Maze Runner (book series), The Maze Runner''
*Tereza, from Milan Kundera's novel ''The Unbearable Lightness of Being''
*Theresa (a.k.a. The Fighter), one of the main characters from the Canadian animated series ''Class of the Titans''
*Teresa of Telezart, important character from the second series of the long-running space opera franchise ''Space Battleship Yamato''
*Teresa of the Faint Smile, in ''Claymore''
*Boo (character), Boos, known in Japan as Teresa, are ghosts from the Mario and Yoshi series of video games.
*Teresa Mendoza, protagonist and drug cartel leader from Queen of the South (TV series), Queen of the South
*Theresa Keller, a new girl from the children's program Heidi (2015 TV series)
*Theresa Servopoulos, from ''The Last of Us''
{{given name
Feminine given names
English feminine given names
Italian feminine given names
Lithuanian feminine given names
Polish feminine given names
Portuguese feminine given names
Spanish feminine given names