Origin of the name Teresa:

Of uncertain etymology, Teresa is generally believed to be derived from the Greek therizein (to reap, to gather in) and thus takes the definition of “harvester.” The first known bearer of the name was the Spanish wife of St. Paulinus, a 5th century Roman bishop of Nola. Teresa was not used outside the Iberian Peninsula until the 16th century, when the fame of St. Teresa of Avila (1515—82) made the name popular among Roman Catholics throughout Europe. Var: Tereza, Theresa. Pet: Teri, Terri, Terry

From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman.Buy the book