Oswald
How to say it: OZ-wuld · /ˈɑzwəld/
God's power from Old English os + weald - medieval royal name, vintage revival.
Oswald was the 1,727th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 67 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1910s, its births are up 2.3-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,360 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 | #1,727 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 67 |
| Share of births | 1 in 49,482 |
| Peak decade | 1910s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.3 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,360 |
| In France, 2025 | #2,436 among boys’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Oswald peaked in the 1910s, nearly vanished by the 1990s, and has come back.
What goes with it
Nicknames
- Oz
- Ozzie
- Wally
Honouring a Oswald in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Oswald is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish.
In France: #2,436 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Oswald
- Oswald Spengler (1880–1936)German historian and philosopher
- Oswald Gracias (born 1944)Catholic cardinal
- Oswald Avery (1877–1955)Canadian-born American physician and medical researcher
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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