Bristol is the name of the port city in southwest England, from the Old English Brycgstow, which means "meeting place by the bridge". As a girls' name it was virtually unknown in the United States until Bristol Palin, daughter of vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, appeared in the news in 2008. Bristol ranked number 6861 in 2000, entered the top 1000 in 2009, peaked at number 390 in 2019 and ranks number 728 in 2025.