Tristen
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".
Meaning & Origin of Tristen
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 →
The Story of Tristen
As a girl name
Tristen first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1968, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1996, when 290 Tristens were born — ranking #722 that year. As of 2026, Tristen ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 4K Tristens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Tristen first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1975, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1996, when 1,188 Tristens were born — ranking #249 that year. As of 2026, Tristen ranks #1,828 for boys with 90 births, falling sharply (-57%). In total, more than 21K Tristens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Tristen
Phonetically similar names — useful when Tristen 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 Tristen
What does the name Tristen mean?
How popular is Tristen in 2026?
When was Tristen most popular?
In which U.S. states is Tristen most popular?
Is Tristen a unisex name?
What names go well with Tristen?
About the name Tristen
Tristen is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1975 and has accumulated 21K births in the dataset. Tristen's peak popularity came in 1996 when it ranked #249. Use the chart and map above to compare Tristen's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1996 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.