Tristan Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Boy Names Like Tristan

Tristan Name Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: trih-ston
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Tristan Name Meaning

Tristan, Tristan, Tristan. This name is sure to make you think of a romantic and chivalrous knight. But what’s the story behind this boy’s name? Let’s dive into the history, origin, meaning, and popularity of Tristan.

The History of Tristan

The name Tristan is of Celtic origin and it’s a legendary character in the medieval Arthurian romance Tristan and Iseult. The story tells of the tragic love affair between Tristan, a knight of King Mark of Cornwall, and Iseult, the queen of Ireland. Tristan is also known as Tristram, the name is derived from the Celtic name “Drustanus” which is composed of two elements “drust” means “sadness” and “anus” means “fierce.”

The Meaning of Tristan

The meaning of the name Tristan is “sadness” and “fierce” in Celtic. It carries with it a sense of love and tragedy. It’s also a name that’s been associated with romance and chivalry.

The Popularity of Tristan

The name Tristan was relatively uncommon as a first name until the 1990s, when it became popular in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It was a top 100 name in the United States in the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, it has dropped in popularity over the past decade. In 2020, it was the 243rd most popular boy’s name in the United States.

Final Thoughts

Tristan is a romantic and chivalrous name with a legendary history. It’s a name that carries with it a sense of love and tragedy, as well as being associated with romance and chivalry. The name was relatively uncommon as a first name until the 1990s, when it became popular in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

It’s a name that’s been associated with legendary and adventurous types, maybe because of the popular medieval Arthurian romance Tristan and Iseult.

Overall, Tristan is a great choice for parents looking for a unique name that’s easy to pronounce and spell. It’s a name that’s sure to stand out and make a statement. So, if you’re looking for a name that’s a bit more unique, Tristan might just be the perfect choice for you.

Tristan Name Popularity

How popular is the name Tristan? Here’s everything we know.

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	—	0	0%
1911	—	0	0%
1912	—	0	0%
1913	—	0	0%
1914	—	0	0%
1915	—	0	0%
1916	—	0	0%
1917	—	0	0%
1918	—	0	0%
1919	—	0	0%
1920	—	0	0%
1921	—	0	0%
1922	—	0	0%
1923	—	0	0%
1924	—	0	0%
1925	—	0	0%
1926	—	0	0%
1927	—	0	0%
1928	—	0	0%
1929	—	0	0%
1930	—	0	0%
1931	—	0	0%
1932	—	0	0%
1933	—	0	0%
1934	—	0	0%
1935	—	0	0%
1936	—	0	0%
1937	—	0	0%
1938	—	0	0%
1939	—	0	0%
1940	—	0	0%
1941	—	0	0%
1942	—	0	0%
1943	—	0	0%
1944	—	0	0%
1945	—	0	0%
1946	—	0	0%
1947	—	0	0%
1948	—	0	0%
1949	—	0	0%
1950	—	0	0%
1951	—	0	0%
1952	—	0	0%
1953	—	0	0%
1954	—	0	0%
1955	—	0	0%
1956	—	0	0%
1957	—	0	0%
1958	—	0	0%
1959	—	0	0%
1960	—	0	0%
1961	—	0	0%
1962	1,428	6	0.0003%
1963	1,587	5	0.0003%
1964	—	0	0%
1965	—	0	0%
1966	1,421	6	0.0004%
1967	1,204	10	0.0007%
1968	1,200	12	0.0008%
1969	1,182	14	0.0009%
1970	1,109	21	0.0013%
1971	926	37	0.0025%
1972	906	38	0.0028%
1973	1,003	27	0.0021%
1974	966	33	0.0025%
1975	886	46	0.0036%
1976	924	41	0.0032%
1977	901	48	0.0036%
1978	799	69	0.0051%
1979	691	106	0.0075%
1980	645	137	0.0094%
1981	414	355	0.0242%
1982	273	728	0.0487%
1983	246	840	0.0569%
1984	249	849	0.0571%
1985	220	1,052	0.0693%
1986	243	900	0.0596%
1987	246	911	0.0597%
1988	287	770	0.0494%
1989	313	731	0.0453%
1990	328	718	0.0433%
1991	339	691	0.0424%
1992	371	591	0.037%
1993	413	522	0.0335%
1994	454	441	0.0287%
1995	121	3,085	0.2047%
1996	67	5,458	0.3645%
1997	92	4,187	0.2831%
1998	92	4,167	0.2784%
1999	99	3,839	0.2564%
2000	105	3,523	0.2306%
2001	108	3,567	0.2367%
2002	103	3,720	0.2482%
2003	112	3,634	0.2389%
2004	115	3,475	0.228%
2005	113	3,586	0.2345%
2006	86	5,408	0.3454%
2007	87	5,334	0.3381%
2008	81	5,656	0.3659%
2009	80	5,347	0.3577%
2010	84	4,891	0.3394%
2011	86	4,724	0.3316%
2012	88	4,427	0.3107%
2013	96	4,007	0.2814%
2014	98	3,903	0.2679%
2015	101	3,911	0.2688%
2016	108	3,617	0.2509%
2017	121	3,278	0.2349%
2018	123	3,189	0.2321%
2019	150	2,543	0.1879%
2020	181	2,057	0.1616%
2021	207	1,797	0.147%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Tristan

If you like Tristan, you’ll love these other names like Tristan.

What names are variants of Tristan?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Tristan.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Tris		Celtic
Tristam	A variant spelling of Tristan.	Celtic
Tristen	Noise	Celtic
Tristian	Noise	Celtic
Tristin	Noise	Celtic
Triston	Noise	Celtic
Tristram	“A blustering fellow,” based on the Celtic drest, a tumult.	Celtic
Tristyn	Noise	Celtic
Trystan	Noise	Celtic

What names sound like Tristan?

If you like how Tristan sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Tristan.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Thorstan	Thor's stone	English
Thurstan	Thor's stone	English
Torsten	Thor's stone	English
Torston	Thor's stone	English

Lists With Tristan

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Tristan.

Siblings of Tristan

Mamas with kids named Tristan also have kids with these names.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Melanie	Black	Greek

Giselle	Pledge	French
Andrew	Manly and powerful	Greek
Tyron	Owen's county	Gaelic
Treyton	Town near trees.	Unknown

Share Your Thoughts

10 Comments

Tristan Michael Alexander harris Dec 14 at 8:57 am

Named him after my grandfather

Reply
Tiffany Aug 15 at 5:39 pm

First name we could agree on

Reply
Somei Mar 24 at 4:15 am

It is one of those names that needs to be growing on you as it’s not very usual. So when I first heard it, I wasn’t sure if I liked it as much to give it my son. It totally grew on me and when I was pregnant the second time I knew I wanted a Tristan. And I love this name more and more.

Reply
Kory Oct 30 at 12:22 am

My husband actually chose it. It meant slot to me that he would care so much about the name. So we went for it. I had always liked the name Christian (all the way back when I was a preteen) and Tristan is pretty close. I also don’t know many Tristans so it makes it more unique.

Reply
Monica Sep 1 at 11:41 am

His Father name is Trenton and he chose the name Tristan for our precious little boy.

Reply
AE Jul 5 at 3:38 pm

Tristan does not mean sad. Some people think this because it sounds like the Spanish word. Tristan is the diminutive of an old Pictish or Scottish name that could only be given to kings, so the meaning on the internet should be changed to little king. My son loves his name and it’s very popular. I named him after the opera Tristan y Isolde and he turned out to be an opera singer and a very blessed child. Girls love his name – I didn’t foresee this when he was a baby lol but his girl classmates always mention this.

Reply
Elizabeth Williams Aug 17 at 3:22 pm

He is a junior

Reply
Amanda Jun 10 at 12:24 pm

I was looking around at baby boy names, since this was my second one. I asked my oldest and my husband on what they thought. They were given 2 different options, Carter, or Tristan.We chose the name Tristan because it was a good strong name. Tristan’s middle name is James, he has 2 uncles named James. Tristan is a very good baby, he loves to cuddle with his momma.

Reply
Rhianna Campbell Jun 8 at 9:30 am

I love names that aren’t on the most popular list!

Reply
Elizabeth Apr 11 at 3:43 pm

Every day I am happy I chose the name Tristan for my son. It is a strong masculine name, but I also feel that it is gentle on the tongue. It is a classic name but not overly popular. I just love this name!

Reply

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