What does Tristan mean? T ristan as a boys’ name (also used less generally as girls’ name Tristan) is pronounced TRISS-tan. It is of Celtic origin. From a Celtic name. In Arthurian legend, Tristan (sometimes called Tristram) was a Knight of the Round Table and the tragic hero of the medieval tale “Tristan and Isolde”. The tale has been retold in many poems and operas.