Total births
21,372
Unisex name · since 1975
Tristen
Since 1975, U.S. Social Security records show 21,372 babies named Tristen, peaking in 1996. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1436
- among boys today
- 21,372
- born since 1975
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Tristen is the #1436 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 21,372 recorded since 1975.
Tristen has 21,372 recorded births among boys since 1975, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1436 as of the latest data, more common than 90% of boys, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1975 to 2025.
- #1436 among boys today
- 21,372 born since 1975
- 2000s peak decade
- 90% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Tristen is currently the #1436 unisex name in America, more common than 90% of boys - 21,372 born since 1975, peaking in the 2000s.
- #1436
- among boys today
- 21,372
- born since 1975
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other boys
Tristen vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1436
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 90% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
43% of everyone ever named Tristen was born in this single decade.
1996
Single peak year
1,188 babies were named Tristen in 1996 - its busiest year on record.
How Tristen compares
21,372 Top 6% higher than 94% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Tristen's all-time total is 58x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Tristen | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 21,372 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,188 | 23 | 22,252 |
Tristen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Tristen's SSA record in two at 2001 and the more recent half accounts for 70% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 30%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1975, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 1996 peak of 1,188, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Tristen at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1996
Current rank
#1,436
Active since
1975
Tristen popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1975–2025
- Peak year (1996)
- 1,188
- Annual births at peak, across 51 years of records
Tristen popularity over time - girls
4,182 total births recorded since 1968 (Tristen as girls' name)
Tristen by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Tristen's strongest decade.
9,204 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Tristen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 29
1970s
29 births
- 1980s 453
1980s
453 births
- 1990s
1990s
5,023 births
- 2000s
2000s
9,204 births
- 2010s
2010s
5,646 births
- 2020s 1,017
2020s
1,017 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 9,204 births (43% of all-time use).
How Tristen compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Tristen's total volume
Tristen vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Tristen by state
Where Tristen concentrates geographically, total births since 1975
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,920 | 9.0% |
| #2 | California | | 1,597 | 7.5% |
| #3 | Florida | | 1,113 | 5.2% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 947 | 4.4% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 923 | 4.3% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 775 | 3.6% |
| #7 | New York | | 718 | 3.4% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 627 | 2.9% |
Texas share of Tristen's total US births 9.0%
Even split
1,920 of 21,372 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 48 reporting states.
Tristen appears in 48 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tristen? ▼
Since 1975, Social Security records show 21,372 babies named Tristen. Today it holds rank #1436 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1996, with 1,188 births.
When was Tristen most popular? ▼
Tristen was most popular in the 2000s decade with 9,204 total births. The single peak year was 1996.
Where is Tristen most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Tristen are Texas (1,920 births), California (1,597 births), Florida (1,113 births).
Is Tristen a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Tristen is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 21,372 births, and as a girl's name it has 4,182 births.
How long has the name Tristen been used? ▼
Tristen has been recorded in Social Security data since 1975, spanning 51 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Tristen? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Tristan, Triston, Tristin, Tripp, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Tristen's data
- Tristen's decade-level peak was the 2000s (9,204 total births); usage has since declined to 1,017 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Tristens (1,920 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Tristen
Nearby Names Like Tristen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tristen
Tristan Boy
#267 124,243 births
Triston Boy
#2455 11,602 births
Tristin Boy
#2940 9,785 births
Tripp Boy
#511 8,975 births
Tristian Boy
#1588 7,960 births
Compare Tristen side by side: Tristen vs Tristan Tristen vs Triston Tristen vs Tristin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Tristen
Deshawn #1435
16,074 births · Peak 1997
Ryu #1437
1,685 births · Peak 2012
Shaya #1434
1,809 births · Peak 2025
Vince #1438
12,705 births · Peak 1963
Gilberto #1433
28,642 births · Peak 1993
Mauro #1439
6,644 births · Peak 2006
Monte #1432
23,160 births · Peak 1956
Faris #1440
3,225 births · Peak 2025
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1975–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tristen: #1436 Unisex Name - 21,372 Births, Peak 1996." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tristen. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Tristen draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.