Boy · #1,743 in 2026

Oskar

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

Current Rank
#1,743
Peak Rank
#1,183 (2016)
Total Babies
3K
5-Yr Trend
-16%
1916
First Year
2026
Last Year
2016
Peak Year
#1183
Peak Rank
3K
Total Count
57
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Oskar

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 Oskar

Oskar first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1916, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2016, when 160 Oskars were born — ranking #1,183 that year. As of 2026, Oskar ranks #1,743 for baby boys with 96 births, falling sharply (-16%). In total, more than 3K Oskars have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s 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 Oskar

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

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

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Oskar

What does the name Oskar mean?
Oscar or Oskar is a masculine given name of English, Old Norse and Irish origin.
How popular is Oskar in 2026?
In 2026, Oskar ranks #1,743 among boys' names in the U.S., with 96 babies given the name that year.
When was Oskar most popular?
Oskar reached its peak popularity in 2016, ranking #1,183 that year with 160 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Oskar most popular?
Oskar has historically been most popular in Minnesota, Oregon, Colorado. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Oskar.
Is Oskar a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Oskar is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Oskar?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Oskar include Farley, Lenox, Mckay. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Farley
Peak #1182
👦
Lenox
Peak #1184
👦
Mckay
Peak #1182
👦
Tavin
Peak #1182
👦
Jakobi
Peak #1184
👦
Perley
Peak #1181
👦
Lige
Peak #1181
👦
Irvine
Peak #1181

About the name Oskar

Oskar is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1916 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Oskar's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #1,183. Use the chart and map above to compare Oskar'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.