Boy · #213 in 2026

Oscar

Oscar or Oskar is a masculine given name of English, Old Norse and Irish origin.

Current Rank
#213
Peak Rank
#26 (2006)
Total Babies
215K
5-Yr Trend
-8%
1886
First Year
2015
Last Year
1994
Peak Year
#4239
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
103
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Oscar

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Oscar or Oskar is a masculine given name of English, Old Norse and Irish origin.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The name Oscar finds its Original roots in Old English and Old Norse cultures which may be linked to the Norse Viking settlement of England. The Old English variation is derived from the elements "os" meaning "god" and "gar" meaning "spear," meaning “Gods Spear” thus combining into a powerful image of divine strength. Similarly, in Old Norse, which was a mutually intelligible language to Old English, Oscar is believed to translate to "spear of the gods," again reiterating a sense of noble valor. Oscar was a popular name in England until the 1066 Norman Conquest following which some Norse and G

The Story of Oscar

Oscar first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 544 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2006, when 3,601 Oscars were born — ranking #118 that year. As of 2026, Oscar ranks #213 for baby boys with 1,674 births, gradually falling (-8%). In total, more than 215K Oscars have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Oscar

Phonetically similar names — useful when Oscar is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Oskar
  • Oscr
  • Asker
  • Esker
  • Eschar
  • Isker
  • Askar
  • Oscars
  • Osk
  • Oski
  • Osc
  • Osca

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Oscar

What does the name Oscar mean?
Oscar or Oskar is a masculine given name of English, Old Norse and Irish origin.
How popular is Oscar in 2026?
In 2026, Oscar ranks #213 among boys' names in the U.S., with 1,674 babies given the name that year.
When was Oscar most popular?
Oscar reached its peak popularity in 2006, ranking #26 that year with 3,601 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Oscar most popular?
Oscar has historically been most popular in Alabama, Texas, Utah. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Oscar.
Is Oscar a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Oscar is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Oscar?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Oscar include Jesse, Jordan, Terry. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Sheldon
Peak #4239
👧
Annessa
Peak #4239
👧
Shanterria
Peak #4239
👧
Shadow
Peak #4239
👧
Camera
Peak #4239
👧
Sanam
Peak #4239
👧
Calah
Peak #4239
👧
Oceanna
Peak #4239

About the name Oscar

Oscar is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 215K births in the dataset. Oscar's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #26. Use the chart and map above to compare Oscar's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.