About the name Trifon
Etymology & meaning
Trifon comes from the Greek τρυφή — "softness, luxury", whence Τρύφων means "one living in plenty". In Bulgarian folk culture the name fused with viticulture far beyond its ecclesiastical origin.
History & patron saint
Saint Tryphon is a 3rd-century martyr, patron of vine-growers and gardeners. The folk feast Trifon Zarezan (14 February) is the day of the ritual first pruning of the vineyards — one of the liveliest agrarian feasts in the Bulgarian calendar, kept by wineries and whole villages alike.
Traditions & customs
On Trifon Zarezan the vines are symbolically pruned and doused with wine, and a "king of the vineyards" is chosen. Celebrants pour wine from their own cellar if they have one; the table carries roast meat and pickles.
Popularity & notable bearers
Trifon is less common today as a given name, yet its feast remains one of the most widely kept in the country — on 14 February it increasingly shares the date with Saint Valentine without yielding to it.