Therese

/T-HH-EH-R-EH-S-EH/

Girl Christian French origin FrenchAmerican

From Tharsus, also harvester — Therese (French Thérèse) is the name of two great Catholic saints: Teresa of Ávila (16th c. mystic-reformer) and Thérèse of Lisieux (the 'Little Flower'). One of Catholicism's most-honored female names.

See Therese scored for your family

Meaning & origin

Therese is a girl's name of French origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "From Tharsus, also harvester — Therese (French Thérèse) is the name of two great Catholic saints: Teresa of Ávila (16th c. mystic-reformer) and Thérèse of Lisieux (the 'Little Flower'). One of Catholicism's most-honored female names." and belongs to the Divine cluster — names rooted in sacred meaning and spiritual tradition.

Common among French, American, European families, Therese carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.

Numerology of Therese

Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Therese resonates in either tradition.

Pythagorean
8
material mastery and executive power
Chaldean
11
intuition and inspired leadership (master number)

How Therese sounds

NameRoot scores the phonetic fit of every name against the sound of your last name. The pronunciation of Therese breaks down into 7 phonemes: /T-HH-EH-R-EH-S-EH/. In the app, you'll see how those sounds flow with your family name across rhythm, stress, and consonant clusters.

Nicknames

Common affectionate forms of Therese — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.

Tess

The six signals, applied to Therese

NameRoot scores every name across six independent dimensions. Here's how Therese maps to each — install the app to see the full compatibility score for your specific family.

01 — Birth Star
Nakshatra match
Enter your baby's birth date in the app and we'll compute the nakshatra compatibility score.
02 — Numerology
Destiny alignment
Pythagorean and Chaldean life-path calculations (destiny 8) matched against your family's own numerology profile.
03 — Phonetics
Last-name fit
Rhythm, stress, and consonant clusters measured with IPA to see how Therese flows with your family name.
04 — Meaning
Divine
Therese belongs to the Divine cluster — names rooted in sacred meaning and spiritual tradition.
05 — Cultural & Tradition
Christian
As a Christian name, Therese carries religious and cultural weight scored against your family's heritage — plus grandparent-name matches, saint's-day alignment, and generational naming patterns scored against your family tree.
06 — Uniqueness
Popularity balance
How common Therese is today versus historically — finding the sweet spot between familiar and forgotten.

Names similar to Therese

If Therese resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.

From the same tradition

Other Christian girl names, common in French families

Olivia
The olive branch symbolises peace, wisdom, and enduring beauty.
Emma
Whole, universal, from Germanic ermen (whole, universal). Borne by 11th-century Queen Emma of Normandy
Amelia
Industrious, striving, the name that has topped English baby name charts for a decade — Amelia carries the Germanic root for work and effort, naming a child for the quality of determined application that turns talent into achievement. Amelia Earhart transformed it into a symbol of boundary-breaking adventure
Isla
Island, the serene landmass surrounded by water on every side — Isla takes its name from the Scottish island of Islay and carries the self-contained beauty of a place that is complete in itself, needing no bridge to the mainland to justify its existence

Sharing the same meaning

Other Christian girl names from the Divine cluster

Isabella
From Hebrew Elisheba (my God is my oath) through Latin Isabella
Maryam
The exalted one, the only woman named in the Quran — Maryam mother of Isa is honoured in an entire surah bearing her name, praised as the woman chosen above all women of all worlds. Her name bridges Islam and Christianity with shared reverence, carrying purity, miraculous grace, and the courage of a mother who bore her child alone beneath a palm tree
Eliana
My God has answered, the child who arrived as the response to years of prayer — Eliana combines 'El' (God) with 'ana' (answered), declaring that this daughter's existence is proof that God listens

Names that sound similar

Christian girl names that open with the same syllables as Therese

Thora
Thor's woman, thunder — from Old Norse Thora, the feminine derived from the Norse thunder-god Thor. It carries the storm-power of its divine root, distinct in lineage from similar-sounding names of other traditions. A strong Scandinavian feminine, borne by an early Danish queen, that channels the elemental force of Norse mythology.
Theresa
Harvester, summer — Saint Theresa of Ávila reformed the Carmelites; Mother Teresa served the poorest
Teresa
Harvester, the woman who gathers the fruits of labour — Saint Teresa of Avila reformed the Carmelite order with fierce determination and wrote some of the most vivid mystical literature in Christian history, describing the soul as an interior castle with many rooms. Her name carries the strength of a woman who rebuilt an entire religious tradition while simultaneously mapping the inner geography of contemplative prayer

Common questions about Therese

What does the name Therese mean?

Therese means "From Tharsus, also harvester — Therese (French Thérèse) is the name of two great Catholic saints: Teresa of Ávila (16th c. mystic-reformer) and Thérèse of Lisieux (the 'Little Flower'). One of Catholicism's most-honored female names.." It is a girl name of French origin, traditionally used in Christian families.

Is Therese a boy or girl name?

Therese is most commonly used as a girl name.

What is the origin of the name Therese?

Therese is of French origin, used in Christian tradition, commonly among French, American, European families.

What are common nicknames for Therese?

Common short forms of Therese include Tess.

What is the numerology of Therese?

Therese has a Pythagorean destiny number of 8 — material mastery and executive power.

See how Therese scores for your family

NameRoot is the only baby-name app that scores every name across 6 signals against your specific family context. Download free — Therese is waiting.

Get NameRoot — free