Opinions on Tessa please

[Gidders]

Hello,

I'm 36 weeks with first baby and for the last few months we've been settled on Tessa as the name. But I'm having last minute wobbles, mainly based on the fact that officially it's a shortening of Teresa and generally I don't like nicknames used as given names - but don't like Teresa either!

Other options we are considering are Cecily, Cassandra, Tabitha and Isolde.

Middle name will probably be either Hermione or Elizabeth and our surname is single syllable.

Honest opinions appreciated - I can take it!

i love it

I love Tessa and normally agree with you about using "full" names but in this instance, I think its more of a name in its own right. Teresa is not good.

I also like Tabitha and Cassandra (but would almost always use Cassie). Not keen on Hermione

Absolutely love it. Tess for short. Dont even make the Theresa connection, Tessa a name in its own right IMO and one of those thats inexplicably not overused, unlike Jessica of which there are millions.

Tessa is a fab name... my sister's in fact and I've always been a little bit jealous that she got it! It's never been at all associated with Teresa in my mind (she is registered Tessa and has shifted slightly to being called Tess as an adult). It's unusual but not precious IMO.

lovely really like it

MIL is Teresa and chose between either Tess/Rae or Reece as a mn to go with whichever first name she was given - she got Rae as it sounded nicest but Tess is LOVELY, not so much Teresa

Thank you ladies! I love it too but am horribly indecisive, so it's nice to get some reassurance.

Tessa is nice.

Lots of people might say it's a dog's/cat's name but ignore them. They are nutz.

Tessa is lovely, as is Tess, both good stand alone names. I love Tabitha too from your list. You could also consider Therese (French, sorry can't do accents) if you want a variation of Teresa? But Tessa or Tess are lovely.

Love it. A friend has a toddler called Tess and I think its a fab name. Not popular either (in a good way).

Have a friend called Tessa, it's her given name not a nickname. Wasn't aware of the connection with Theresa. Think it's a bit like Thea in that way, isn't it? Thea is officially short for Dorothea, but I know at least 2 who have it as their given name.

Love it, by the way - really pretty!

Love it.

Love it too

Love it. It is the name of my godmother (in her 70's) and my (unrelated to her) niece aged 2. Pretty name.

It's a fab name, although I may be biased. We just named our daughter Elizabeth Tess and are using Tess as her given name. I like that it's unusual but cute and will suit a child and an adult, the ELizabeth is a family name on my side and my husband's. Go for it I say

love it

Love it! It's one of my favourites, DH says it's a dogs name and also he knew someone with that name he didn't like so he won't let us use it, otherwise it would be very near the top of my list. I think it's a really pretty English name, love the literary connection to Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and the fact it's a well known proper name that's not too common. I hate nicknames as 1st names too, but I don't see Tessa as a nickname.

I think its lovely and had added it to my not-very-short list, but don't think it sits well with DD1's name so think it has to be scrubbed.
Pretty, relatively underused name in its own right i think.

My friend has just called her daughter this, it's lovely.

It's my mum's name and I love it - she hates it because she says "it's a spaniel's name"

I also like the shortened version - Tess, but don't even get Mrs ArcticFox going on that one!!

Go for it, I say!

not wild on Tessa, but like Tess...Dunno why.

Tessa is a name in its own right. Tess is a shortening. Tessa Elizabeth or Tessa Hermione would be lovely combos. I like your other names too.

It's also short for Esther.

I adore this - its very high up on my imaginary shortlist!