BEHIND HER NAME
Tifa is not exactly a common name; in fact i've never seen it used anywhere. It doesn't have an obvious root either, and quite frankly I can not analyze it myself without some help. First I'll start with my own guesses. Tifa, is very close to the scandinvian name Tova (yay for being scandinavian). Tova is the feminine form of Tove which has connections to Tófa or the mythological name of of Thor which means thunder. Thor was the Norse god of strength, thunder and war, the son of Odin. He was armed with a hammer called Mjolnir, and wore an enchanted belt which doubled his strength. This can somewhat be connected to Tifa, being a strong woman with many skills. Her hometown of Nibelheim comes from a norse world full of darkness and cold.With some help from here, another meaning of her name can be identified: Even though the name Tifa creates the urge to be artistically creative and original, we emphasize that it causes an emotional intensity that is hard to control. This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the nervous system, and tension or accidents to the head.
The name Tifa creates a dual nature in that one can be very generous and understanding, but can also be so candid in your expression that you create misunderstanding. You struggle with the requirement to soften your expression with tact and diplomacy and to consider the feelings of others. Difficulty in accepting advice or admitting that you may have made a mistake causes you to appear to be stubborn and set in your ways. Thus, you have too often created the wrong impression, and friendships have suffered.
This definition works very well because Tifa does struggle with her expression and can often be seen as stubborn. Her emotions are a big part of her because she has a hard time expressing them and keeps everything locked inside. Holy cow Batman, we found a match!
Another interesting theory of her name is directly related to the name of Sephiroth. The Tiferet is part of the ten Sephiroth and means "balance and love". Cabbalism turned up a further meaning, that of self-sacrifice. In the tarot, the Tiferet is represented with a heart. How interesting! Squaresoft is just so complex isn't it.
Aery mentioned to me that she always thought Tifa's name was short for "Tiffany". Tiffany is the Medieval form of THEOPHANIA. This name was traditionally given to girls born on the Epiphany (January 6), the festival commemorating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus.