Oscar Name Meaning

“Oscar” is a unique name because of its association with the Old English culture. The name has a strong association with the idea of being a spear of the gods, which can be a positive association for many people. The name also has a strong association with the idea of being powerful, which can be a positive association for many people.

Origins of the Name Oscar

The name Oscar is of Old English origin, and it means “God’s spear” or “spear of the gods” in Old English. The name is derived from the Old English elements “os,” meaning “god,” and “gar,” meaning “spear.” The name Oscar is also a variant of the name Osgar, which is the anglicized form of the Irish name Oisín. Oisín was a legendary poet and warrior of the 3rd century.

Popularity of the Name Oscar

The name Oscar is a popular name in English speaking countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. It is also popular in other countries such as Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

The name Oscar can also be spelled in different ways such as “Oskar” or “Osgar” but it is not as common as the original spelling.

Famous Oscars

Many notable men have borne the name “Oscar” throughout history. Here are just a few examples:

  • Oscar Wilde, an Irish playwright, novelist, and poet
  • Oscar Isaac, an American actor and singer
  • Oscar Robertson, an American retired professional basketball player.

Final Thoughts on the Name Oscar

All in all, “Oscar” is a name with a rich history and plenty of interesting stories behind it. From Old English culture, to being a spear of the gods and being powerful, there are plenty of stories behind the name. It’s a strong, masculine name that implies power, strength, and godly blessings, perfect for a boy who wants to stand out from the crowd. Although it is not a common name in other countries but it is popular in English speaking countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. The name Oscar can also be spelled in different ways such as “Oskar” or “Osgar” but it is not as common as the original spelling. Overall, Oscar is a name that is sure to be remembered and associated with being powerful and blessed.

Infographic of Oscar name meaning, which is A Gaelic name, Oscar means friend of deer.
Ask your friends & family about Oscar…

Oscar Name Popularity

How popular is the name Oscar? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 — 471 0.1338%
1911 — 615 0.1652%
1912 — 1,114 0.2209%
1913 — 1,219 0.215%
1914 — 1,533 0.22%
1915 — 1,781 0.196%
1916 — 1,902 0.1969%
1917 — 1,948 0.1947%
1918 — 2,095 0.1952%
1919 — 1,978 0.1889%
1920 — 2,002 0.1801%
1921 — 1,966 0.1717%
1922 — 1,999 0.1794%
1923 — 1,860 0.1661%
1924 — 1,796 0.1547%
1925 — 1,732 0.1532%
1926 — 1,704 0.1549%
1927 — 1,618 0.1462%
1928 — 1,444 0.135%
1929 — 1,447 0.1397%
1930 — 1,443 0.1381%
1931 — 1,305 0.1322%
1932 — 1,221 0.1236%
1933 — 1,081 0.116%
1934 — 1,060 0.1097%
1935 — 1,055 0.1086%
1936 — 965 0.1002%
1937 — 946 0.096%
1938 — 981 0.0958%
1939 — 953 0.0937%
1940 — 903 0.085%
1941 — 996 0.0885%
1942 — 918 0.0727%
1943 — 1,037 0.0794%
1944 — 879 0.0709%
1945 — 896 0.0735%
1946 — 978 0.0663%
1947 — 1,089 0.0652%
1948 — 1,055 0.0661%
1949 — 1,080 0.0671%
1950 — 1,063 0.066%
1951 — 1,035 0.061%
1952 — 1,051 0.0602%
1953 — 1,167 0.0659%
1954 — 1,231 0.0673%
1955 — 1,123 0.0611%
1956 — 1,094 0.0579%
1957 — 1,159 0.0602%
1958 — 1,040 0.055%
1959 — 1,042 0.0548%
1960 — 1,044 0.0551%
1961 — 1,015 0.0538%
1962 — 965 0.0526%
1963 — 989 0.0551%
1964 — 979 0.0556%
1965 — 944 0.0577%
1966 — 912 0.0584%
1967 — 886 0.0584%
1968 — 869 0.0579%
1969 — 984 0.0639%
1970 — 1,014 0.0637%
1971 — 1,032 0.0687%
1972 — 1,072 0.0787%
1973 — 1,024 0.079%
1974 — 1,164 0.0896%
1975 — 1,191 0.0927%
1976 — 1,193 0.0926%
1977 — 1,235 0.0916%
1978 — 1,269 0.0944%
1979 — 1,274 0.0904%
1980 — 1,357 0.0928%
1981 — 1,437 0.0978%
1982 — 1,444 0.0966%
1983 — 1,324 0.0897%
1984 — 1,363 0.0916%
1985 — 1,546 0.1019%
1986 — 1,526 0.1011%
1987 — 1,620 0.1062%
1988 — 1,683 0.108%
1989 — 1,931 0.1197%
1990 — 2,288 0.138%
1991 — 2,402 0.1474%
1992 — 2,550 0.1598%
1993 — 2,811 0.1803%
1994 — 2,809 0.183%
1995 — 2,691 0.1786%
1996 — 2,980 0.199%
1997 — 2,951 0.1995%
1998 — 2,973 0.1986%
1999 — 3,111 0.2077%
2000 — 3,160 0.2069%
2001 — 3,163 0.2099%
2002 — 3,223 0.2151%
2003 — 3,279 0.2155%
2004 — 3,328 0.2184%
2005 — 3,440 0.225%
2006 — 3,578 0.2285%
2007 — 3,529 0.2237%
2008 — 3,532 0.2285%
2009 — 3,098 0.2073%
2010 — 2,637 0.183%
2011 — 2,357 0.1654%
2012 — 2,175 0.1526%
2013 — 2,228 0.1565%
2014 — 2,306 0.1583%
2015 — 2,267 0.1558%
2016 — 2,246 0.1558%
2017 — 2,026 0.1452%
2018 — 1,926 0.1402%
2019 — 1,877 0.1387%
2020 — 1,675 0.1316%
2021 — 1,660 0.1358%
2022 — 1,864 0.1413%
2023 — 1,681 0.1299%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Oscar

If you like Oscar, you’ll love these other names like Oscar.

What names are variants of Oscar?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Oscar.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Oskar

Spear of the gods

English

Osker

Spear of the gods

English

Ossie

Spear of the gods; God's power

German

Ozzy

Spear of the gods; God's power

German

What names sound like Oscar?

If you like how Oscar sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Oscar.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Asgard

Gods' courtyard

Scandinavian

Isachar

His reward will come

Hebrew

Lists With Oscar

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Oscar.

Siblings of Oscar

Mamas with kids named Oscar also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Clementine

Merciful

Latin

5 Comments

  1. We were planning on naming him Atticus but when I gave birth and looked at him that name just came to mind however I do love Oscar Wilde the writer and I felt like Oscar was a strong classic name but not popular at all anymore. I like that.

    Reply

  2. We chose Oscar after rewatching the 1970’s Pippi longstocking movie. At one point everybody is yelling Oscar, my 7-year-old, (then 5) Was bored of the film and running all over the house, screeching “OsCar!!” along with the movie. Later that day I went into labour and gave broth to little Oscar. We planed on naming him Oren, I even brought a baby blanket with that name on it. But when we got hold of our little guy for the first time, I just really wanted Oscar. (I am aware of how cheesy this sounds.) And my husband left the final decision for me. I chose Oscar. I used Oren as a middle name and Oscar Oren Ross was into this world.

    Reply

  3. He was named after his father

    Reply

  4. An classic name. Unique

    Reply

  5. We already have a Clementine, so it had to match her name and be a different initial to hers. I like names that aren’t going to be misspelt easily (although in the country we live in it’ll be spelt Oskar vs Oscar sometimes). I came across the children’s story ‘Oscar got the blame’ by Tony Ross a couple of weeks before he was born and it seemed quite fitting if it was a boy (we didn’t find out the gender), and when he was born we decided he really did look like an Oscar, although we waited a couple of days before deciding. It suits him perfectly, he’s such a wonderful little Oscar. His 4 yo sister can also pronounce it easily, which is cute.

    Reply

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