Olivia Chen

By Olivia Chen
Historical Naming Consultant

Updated on September 03, 2024

Tristian

US Popularity Rank: 3497

Origin: Celtic

Meaning: Sad; Sorrowful

Of Celtic origin, Tristian has been a consistent favorite masculine name since the 1970s and has a wide range of variations, such as Tristan, Trysten, or Trysten. It means “sad” or “sorrowful” and got its meaning from an old Celtic legend, Tristan and Iseult. In this tale, a Cornish knight, Tristan, falls in love with the Irish princess Iseult after ingesting a love potion. Their love story, unfortunately, didn’t last, but it has had a lasting impact on Western culture. It has been featured in an abundance of European texts since the Middle Ages, making Tristian a wonderful choice to honor baby’s Celtic heritage and big heart.