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Caresse

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Caresse

Pronounced kuh-RES /kəˈrɛs/Medium

Meaning: Caresse takes the French 'caresse' — a caress or gentle touch — as a given name, in the same vein as word-names like Chérie. It also echoes the surname-name Charisse.Medium

In 30 seconds: Caresse is a French word-name meaning 'a tender touch', said 'kuh-RES', made famous by publisher Caresse Crosby.

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Origin MediumFrench

MeaningCaresse takes the French 'caresse' — a caress or gentle touch — as a given name, in the same vein as word-names like Chérie. It also echoes the surname-name Charisse.

U.S. rank (2006)#15491 ↗ Rising

2006 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1987

Total births (all-time)≈ 338

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Caresse uses the French word 'caresse' ('a caress') as a name, part of the small family of affectionate French word-names. Its sound also brushes against Charisse, the French surname-name, giving it a soft, romantic feel.

It has always been vanishingly rare, with a faint high point in the late nineteen-eighties. Its most notable bearer, the expatriate publisher and inventor Caresse Crosby, adopted the name in the nineteen-twenties. The name remains a rarity with a distinctly artistic, vintage air.

Did you know? Caresse was the adopted name of Caresse Crosby, the American patron who patented an early modern bra — a rare, glamorous bearer for so uncommon a name.

Overall data confidence 60%

References — Caresse — French word 'caresse'Biography — Caresse Crosby — bearer, publisher and inventor

Variations

CaressCharisseCerise

Nicknames

CariCece

Famous Bearers

★Caresse Crosby (1891–1970)
American publisher and patron of the arts who patented an early modern brassiere.

If you like Caresse…

Charisse— a like-sounding French surname-name

Cerise— another soft French word-name (cherry-red)

Carys— shares the tender, romantic two-beat sound

Clarisse— shares the -se ending

Charise— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Caresse

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Caresse mean?

Caresse comes from the French word 'caresse', meaning a caress or tender touch.

How do you pronounce Caresse?

It's said kuh-RES /kəˈrɛs/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Caresse a boy or girl name?

Caresse is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Caresse?

Caresse is a very rare French word-name in the U.S.