The first name Tristan
A boy’s name meaning “riot”, “tumult”.
Pronounced /ˈtɹɪstən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Tristan means “riot”, “tumult”.
Old French, the name of a knight, lover of Iseult in medieval romance Tristan and Iseult, from Celtic Drystan derived from drest meaning "riot" or "tumult".
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 166 boys were named Tristan, making it the 273rd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2010, with 517 births (#121).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Tristan with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Tristan at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,103 boys born in the United States were named Tristan, the 309th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2008, when 5,659 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Tristan in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Tristan in Dutch, French, German, Icelandic and Polish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Tristan
45 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Tristan BernardFrench playwright (1866–1947)
- Tristan CorbièreFrench poet, 1845–1875
- Tristan ThompsonCanadian basketball player (born 1991)
- Tristan WildsAmerican actor, born 1989
- Tristan GaleAmerican skeleton racer, born 1980
- Tristan TaorminoAmerican author, educator, columnist and adult film director, born 1971
- Tristan WalkerCanadian Luge Athlete, born 1991
- Tristan HoffmanDutch cyclist, born 1970
- Tristan PrettymanAmerican musician, born 1982
- Tristan ThomasAustralian athlete, born 1986
- Tristan VautierFrench racing driver, born 1989
- Tristan da SilvaGerman basketball player (born 2001)
Questions
- What does the name Tristan mean?
- Tristan means “riot”, “tumult”.
- How popular is the name Tristan?
- In 2025, 166 boys born in England and Wales were named Tristan, ranking 273rd. Its peak was 2010, with 517 births.
- What are nicknames for Tristan?
- Common nicknames for Tristan include Tris.
- Is Tristan a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 95% of the 130,794 US babies named Tristan since 1880 were boys.
- When was Tristan most popular?
- 2008 in the United States, when 5,659 babies were named Tristan, its highest rank at 81st.
- How do you pronounce Tristan?
- Tristan is /ˈtɹɪstən/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Tristan?
- Tristram.
- Is Tristan also a surname?
- Yes. Tristan is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.