Tristan
Goes back to Drustan, a Pictish name, which French storytellers reshaped under the influence of triste, meaning sad, to suit the hero's unhappy legend.
Tristan in 2025
Tristan was given to 1,125 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 593rd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 2,947 babies born.
The history of Tristan
Tristan reached its highest point in 1996, when 5,844 babies were given the name, ranking 120th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 118th, in 2009.
Across the 80 years of records since 1946, 130,794 babies have been named Tristan. Half of them were born before 2007, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Tristan by decade
| Decade | Babies named Tristan | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 19 | 6,050 |
| 1950s | 89 | 4,965 |
| 1960s | 349 | 2,231 |
| 1970s | 1,344 | 1,367 |
| 1980s | 8,970 | 407 |
| 1990s | 25,858 | 120 |
| 2000s | 45,278 | 118 |
| 2010s | 39,391 | 137 |
| 2020s | 9,496 | 317 |
Where Tristan is heading
Tristan has fallen 72% over the past decade, from 4,007 babies in 2015 to 1,125 in 2025.
Names like Tristan
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Tristan.