Tressie
Primarily a girl's name of Latin origin with 5,355 recorded births. Also given to 6 boys.
Meaning & Origin
Among U.S. girl's names, Tressie currently holds position #17429. It is known but far from saturated — a name that registers without repeating.
With records stretching from 1880 to 2024, Tressie has over 144 years of American history behind it — long enough to have been worn by great-grandparents and potentially rediscovered by today’s parents.
In the most recent SSA release, Tressie ranks #17429 among U.S. girl names — distinctive enough to stand out.
Tressie is a girl's and boy's baby name of Latin origin, a diminutive of Teresa or Tress — the latter from the English word for a lock or braid of hair, evoking beauty and femininity. The -ie ending gives it a warm, affectionate quality.
Tressie has a vintage warmth that feels genuine rather than affected — a name from grandmother's generation that carries real personality and the kind of unselfconscious charm that's genuinely rare.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Tressie is rooted in the Latin tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1880 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
With 5,355 recorded U.S. births, Tressie has clearly resonated across communities. Names that reach this level of adoption typically carry a sound that works in multiple accents and cultural contexts — a kind of phonetic universality.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Tressie was #9850 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #17429, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 13 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 38 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 91 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 119 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 181 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 278 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 343 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 253 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 359 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 616 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 1,055 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 1,031 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 529 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 313 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 136 | — |
The Story of Tressie
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1921, Tressie is a name steeped in history. Girls named Tressie are most likely born between 1911 and 1931.
How rare is Tressie?
Only about 1 in every 720,000 babies born in 2024 was named Tressie — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1880, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1920s with 1,055 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Tressie by the numbers
- Would fill 112 school buses
- Meeting one Tressie per day would take 14.7 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(138 years, 1880–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | #17429 |
| 2020 | 8 | #12048 |
| 2019 | 6 | #15405 |
| 2018 | 5 | #17936 |
| 2017 | 5 | #18235 |
| 2015 | 6 | #16267 |
| 2014 | 6 | #16371 |
| 2010 | 10 | #11188 |
| 2009 | 8 | #13603 |
| 2008 | 9 | #12511 |
| 2007 | 8 | #13844 |
| 2006 | 13 | #9244 |
| 2005 | 9 | #11769 |
| 2004 | 11 | #9850 |
| 2003 | 9 | #11271 |
| 2002 | 8 | #12126 |
| 2001 | 10 | #10065 |
| 2000 | 6 | #14912 |
| 1999 | 10 | #9431 |
| 1998 | 14 | #7083 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Tressie as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Tressie has also been given to 6 boys in the U.S. since 1917.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tressie a boy's or girl's name?
When was Tressie most popular?
How popular is the name Tressie?
Can Tressie be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1880–2024