Meaning and Origin of the Name Tristan

The Welsh name Tristan is masculine, and is pronounced TRISS-tan. The meaning of Tristan is “noise of arms,” and it is also sometimes interpreted to mean “bold.”

Popularity

Over the last few years the popularity of Tristan has decreased in Wales, and it was not one of the top 100 most popular Welsh baby boys’ names in 2017.

Famous People Called Tristan

A number of well-known people are named Tristan. These include Tristan Thompson, a professional Canadian basketball player and Tristan Tzara, a Romanian author and performance artist. Tristan is also the colloquial name of a group of volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean; the full name of the group is Tristan da Cunha.

Perhaps the most well-known Tristan is the character in British mythology. A knight of the Round Table, Tristan is known for falling deeply in love with the Irish princess Iseult who he brought to England for his uncle, King Mark, to marry. While Iseult likes King Mark, the love potion which she and Tristan have ingested causes her to love Tristan. However, a series of events which involve Tristan saving Iseult’s life cause the pair to realize that Iseult should marry King Mark, which she does.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other Welsh boys’ names.