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The Romance of Tristan & Yseult

blueylit
By blueylit
Updated Fri May 12 2023
A list of names from and inspired by the Arthurian legend of the doomed lovers Tristan and Yseult.
  1. Hazel

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "the hazelnut tree"

    • Description:

      Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
  2. River

    • Origin:

      Nature name

    • Description:

      River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named his son with actress Rooney Mara after his brother River.
  3. Tristan

    • Origin:

      Celtic

    • Meaning:

      "noise or sorrowful"

    • Description:

      Tristan -- known through medieval legend and Wagnerian opera -- has a slightly wistful, touching air. This, combined with the name's popular "an" ending, makes Tristan very appealing to parents seeking a more original alternative to Christian.
  4. Isolde

    • Origin:

      Welsh, German

    • Meaning:

      "ice ruler"

    • Description:

      Now that Tristan has been rediscovered, maybe it's time for his fabled lover in the Arthurian romances and Wagnerian opera, a beautiful Irish princess, to be brought back into the light as well.
  5. Mark

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "warlike"

    • Description:

      Mark has the rare appeal of a strong, sleek name with a minimalist modern feel and ancient roots. The name Mark is taken from the Roman god of war Mars, also the namesake of the planet.
  6. Morgan

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "sea-born, sea-song or sea-circle"

    • Description:

      Morgan, once split evenly between the sexes, is a strong and attractive Welsh favorite, still a common boys’ name in Wales. Morgan is now more often a girls' name in the U.S. – about 2000 girls were given the name in one recent year, vs. 362 boys – though it's one of the most traditional unisex choices. Morgan was actually a Top 200 pick for boys in Victorian Britain!
  7. Briar

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "a thorny patch"

    • Description:

      Fairy-tale memories of Sleeping Beauty inspire some parents—such as Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen—to call their daughters Briar Rose. But Briar plus a different middle name might work even better. It's one of the newly popular nature-word names, charting in the US for the first time in 2015 for both genders.
  8. Honey

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      Honey entered the US Top 1000 for the first time ever in 2024, following the lead of parents in England, who've elevated this nickname-name to the Top 300 girls' names in the UK. Honey's popularity in the UK can be credited to its status as a cute British celebrity baby name, used by actress Kate Winslet, chef Jamie Oliver, and TV presenter Fearne Cotton, among others.
  9. Brittany

    • Origin:

      English name of the French region Bretagne, meaning 'from Briton'

    • Description:

      Brittany first arrived on the US popularity list in 1971, and rapidly zoomed up the charts, in the Top 100 a decade later. By 1986 it had entered the Top 10, becoming the third most popular girls’ name in the country by 1989.
  10. Fleur

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "flower"

    • Description:

      Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur Delacour, a French witch and the Beauxbatons champion for the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter.
  11. Blanche

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "white"

    • Description:

      Blanche, which originated as a nickname for a pale blonde and then became associated with the notion of purity, was in style a century ago, ranking in the double digits until 1920. She then had to fight the stereotype of faded Southern belle, a la Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and Blanche Devereaux in TV's Golden Girls. Now all three of the Golden Girls--Blanche, Rose and Dorothy--could be ready for revival, with Blanche sounding like a stronger, simpler alternative to Bianca.
  12. Peri

    • Origin:

      Greek; Hebrew; Persian

    • Meaning:

      "mountain dweller; fruit; fairy"

    • Description:

      This name used for both sexes in several cultures is quite well used in Israel.
  13. Lyon

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "lion"

    • Description:

      The y makes it seem more like a name and less like an animal, but it's still not as appealing as several Leo choices.
  14. Yseult

    • Origin:

      French variation of Iseult, Celtic

    • Meaning:

      "fair, light-skinned"

    • Description:

      Variation of Isolde, the name of a great Celtic heroine. The mononymous French singer Yseult is the most notable bearer today.
  15. Iseult

    • Description:

      Iseult is a feminine name of Celtic origin, specifically from ancient Irish and Cornish legends. It features prominently in the tragic romance of Tristan and Iseult (also spelled Isolde or Yseult), one of the most influential love stories of medieval European literature. The name's meaning is debated but may relate to 'ice' or 'fair one.' Iseult has never been commonly used in English-speaking countries, maintaining its mystical, legendary quality. The name carries associations with passionate love, beauty, and tragedy from its legendary roots. In recent years, it has attracted interest among parents seeking names with historic depth and literary connections, though it remains rare and distinctive.
  16. Tristram

    • Origin:

      Medieval English variation of Tristan, “noise or sorrowful"

    • Description:

      This version of Tristan, known to English Lit students from the novel Tristram Shandy, is rarely used in this country, but, though its similarity to the popular Tristan could prove confusing, still makes an interesting literary choice.
  17. Ysolt

    • Description:

      Ysolt is a feminine name derived from the medieval romance of Tristan and Isolde (also spelled Iseult, Isolt, or Yseult). This ancient Celtic name likely means "ice" or "fair, beautiful one" in its original form. Ysolt represents a rare variant spelling that maintains the name's medieval character while offering a distinctive appearance. The name carries rich literary and legendary associations, representing one of literature's most famous tragic love stories. Though never common in modern usage, Ysolt appeals to parents drawn to names with historical depth and artistic significance. Its unusual spelling and pronunciation (typically ee-SOLT or ih-SOLT) give it an exotic, mysterious quality while connecting the bearer to centuries of romantic literary tradition.

  18. Blanchefleur
    • Brangian
      • Morholt