Tessa

Tessa began as a short form of Theresa or Teresa and is now used independently. The origin of the longer name is uncertain; connections with harvesting are proposed explanations rather than settled translations. Tessa’s relationship to Theresa is clearer than a definite meaning such as “to gather.”

Tess is an even shorter option, while Theresa preserves the fuller historical form. Families can choose Tessa as the name on official documents without treating it as incomplete. The final a changes the rhythm from the one-syllable Tess, which can make a useful difference when saying the name with a middle name or surname.