Tristan
Tristan was the 309th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,103 babies. Its best year was 1996, when it ranked 68th; the most babies were born in 2008 (5,659). Over the last ten years it has moved down 208 places. More babies were named Tristan in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning from Celtic Drust (tumult) · Celtic, French
Say it TRIS-tuhn /ˈtrɪstən/
- Rank in 2025
- #309 boys, down 127 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,103boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20085,659 babies
- Total since 1880
- 130,794babies recorded
What does the name Tristan mean?
Tristan is the hero of the medieval legend of Tristan and Iseult, a knight of King Arthur's court. Wiktionary and Wikipedia derive the name from Celtic Drystan or Welsh Drust, linked with a word meaning 'tumult, noise', but the form was reshaped by French triste, 'sad', which suited the tragic story. Wikipedia notes that the name owes its popularity to the legend; Tristram is an older English form.
Drystan (Celtic (Pictish/Welsh), “Drust”)triste (French, “sad (influence)”)
How sure is this? Probable. The Celtic source is standard; the 'tumult' gloss and the French 'sad' influence are both part of the account.
Other explanations you may read: Means 'sad' (French triste).
Related names: Tristram, Tristen, Drystan, Tristán.
See also: Celtic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Tristan', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Tristan (name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Nicknames for Tristan
The usual nicknames for Tristan are Tris.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tris | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Tristans go by each one.
Tristan popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 6,551 since 1962, 22 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #309 | 1,103 |
| 2020 | #182 | 2,124 |
| 2010 | #84 | 4,899 |
| 2000 | #105 | 3,531 |
| 1990 | #330 | 753 |
| 1980 | #604 | 208 |
| 1970 | #1,030 | 63 |
| 1960 | #2,858 | 10 |
| 1950 | #3,303 | 7 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Tristan, counting every spelling?
Tristan is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #275 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #309 for Tristan on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,326 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tristan | 1,103 | #309 | 7,212 |
| Tristen | 116 | #1,512 | 748 |
| Triston | 56 | #2,447 | 299 |
| Tristin | 37 | #3,232 | 239 |
| Trystan | 14 | #6,417 | 162 |
| Trysten | — | — | 45 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Tristan?
1,103 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Tristan (0.31 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Tristan born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 8 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Tristan.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Tristan?
About 121,800 people born in the US named Tristan are alive today, with a median age of 19; half are between 13 and 27. That makes Tristan mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Tristan by state
How common Tristan was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Mississippi (2.3×), Alaska (2.2×), Delaware (2.2×), South Carolina (1.9×), Maryland (1.7×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in North Dakota, District of Columbia, Iowa.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Tristan: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Tristan, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Tristan · Sibling names for Tristan
Questions about the name Tristan
What does Tristan mean?
Tristan means “from Celtic Drust (tumult)” (Celtic, French origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Tristan?
Tristan was the 309th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,103 babies. Its best year was 1996, when it ranked 68th; the most babies were born in 2008 (5,659). Over the last ten years it has moved down 208 places. More babies were named Tristan in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Tristan a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Tristan in the US.
Where is Tristan most popular?
In 2021–2025, Tristan was most common in Mississippi (1.88 per 1,000 boys), followed by Alaska and Delaware.