Tess

[Retroformica]

Does it have to be short for anything?

No. I love it!

I like it, although it could be short for Therese/Theresa.

I love it, too. It's always been one of my favourites. Sadly it doesn't go with our last name. And I wouldn't use it as short for anything.

Tessa? Theresa?

I think it's beautiful on its own.

Umm our last dog was called Tessa - so I couldn't see it used as a human's name.

I love Tess. Stunning name! I would use it as a given name.

No it doesn't have to be short for anything.

I have spent 33 happy years as Tess. I'm not a Tessa, Theresa or Esther. I'm just Tess.

Wouldn't have it any other way.

Not any more, though traditionally short for Theresa or variants.

Maybe read Tess of the D'Urbervilles before naming, if you don't already know one of the most famous Tess icons (clue: beautiful, pure and doomed). Lovely name, but I find that Tessie makes me think of hefty Enid Blyton schoolgirls ( half the background characters in St Clare's and Malory Towers are called Tessie or Winnie) or Tessie Bear in the Noddy books. I would be stomping about roaring 'No one's allowed to call her Tessie!'

Yes tess is good. Seems slightly short so would balance out with long middle name... Tess evangeline or summink....

Tess is a great name! Could always have tessa if you want slightly longer.

I would use just Tess but then I used just Meg

Tess is a lovely name.

I think it sounds like a nn

We have a six month old 'just' Tess. I absolutely love it!

It's fab.

I love it just as it is.

Thankyou!

Oooh, hello! My fab almost 5yo DD is 'just' a Tess - it's a traditional name in it's own right and doesn't have to be short for anything. I like it because it's pretty without being frilly, fairly unusual without being quirky and equally suitable for an adorable little one or a strong adult.
She has a longer middle name to balance it out - Tess Annabel. Sometimes we call her Tessie but I see this as a lengthened nickname version of Tess, not Tess as a shortened version of Tessie IYSWIM.
People (random strangers, generally older folks) have quite often commented on her name in a positive way, I think it's rather timeless and classic actually (totally biased!)

No, I think Tess is a perfectly solid name on it's own.

Theresa is nice though, so you could always use that as a BC name if you prefer.

I nearly called number 3 baby Tess. Turned out to be a boy, so glad I didn't. I had the same worries, but you know what - it's lovely - you should go for it :)

Tess is lovely as long as you avoid reading the Thomas Hardy novel!