Oscar
How to say it: OS-kur · /ˈɑskər/
From Old Irish 'os' (deer) + 'cara' (friend), or from Old English meaning 'god's spear'.
Oscar was the 231st most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,620 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 29% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #252 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #231 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,620 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,935 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −29% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #252 |
| In France, 2025 | #57 among boys’ names, 1,080 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Long ago in the 1880s Oscar reached its high. Now far below that peak, further slipping looks likely over the next few years.
What goes with it
Round vowels meet crisp and breathy sounds with a strong literary character. Hugo shares its style and Oz works as a short form.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Oscar is about 1 in 81.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Irish, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #57 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #8. Ireland: #32.
Famous people named Oscar
- Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)Irish poet, playwright, and aesthete
- Oscar Niemeyer (1907–2012)Brazilian architect
- Oscar (born 1991)Brazilian association football player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Oscar the Grouch, long-running Sesame Street Muppet living in a trash can.
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