Tristan
Tristan, Tristram, or Tristen is a given name derived from Welsh drust, influenced by the French word triste and Welsh/Cornish/Breton trist, both of which mean "bold" or "sad", "sorrowful".
- English
- French
- Arthurian Cycle
- Spanish
Meaning & Origin of Tristan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Tristan, Tristram, or Tristen is a given name derived from Welsh drust, influenced by the French word triste and Welsh/Cornish/Breton trist, both of which mean "bold" or "sad", "sorrowful".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- French
- Arthurian Cycle
- Spanish
The Story of Tristan
Tristan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1946, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 5,659 Tristans were born — ranking #81 that year. As of 2026, Tristan ranks #318 for baby boys with 1,076 births, falling sharply (-50%). In total, more than 125K Tristans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Tristan
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Tristan. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Tristan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Tristan is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tristan
What does the name Tristan mean?
What is the origin of the name Tristan?
How popular is Tristan in 2026?
When was Tristan most popular?
In which U.S. states is Tristan most popular?
Is Tristan a unisex name?
What names go well with Tristan?
What are nicknames or variants of Tristan?
About the name Tristan
Tristan is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1946 and has accumulated 125K births in the dataset. Tristan's peak popularity came in 2008 when it ranked #68. Use the chart and map above to compare Tristan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2008 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.