Oscar
Boy name · Irish · Old English · Scandinavian
Meaningdeer lover · Irish
- US rank
- #223
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #26 in 1886
1,620 babies were named Oscar in the US in 2025. It has dropped 9 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Oscar you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Oscar
Oscar Niemeyer
Brazilian architect (1907–2012)
Choose Oscar and your child shares a first name with Oscar Niemeyer, a Brazilian architect. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Oscar, like who?” Oscar Niemeyer's Wikipedia article is available in 98 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Oscar Niemeyer on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Unknown (Mondadori Publishers), Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 1,054 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Oscar, 1,620 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Oscar would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryOscar has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Oscars, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1886, when it ranked #26. Today it's #223, so it could be due a comeback.
- Where it's lovedOscar is most popular in Vermont, where it ranks #64, followed by Washington, D.C. (#120) and New Mexico (#121). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Irish, Oscar means “deer lover”. Our records link it to Irish, Old English and Scandinavian roots.
- OriginOscar is the #8 most popular Old English boy name in the US. That's out of 117 Old English boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Oscar
Oscar is a boy name of Irish, Old English and Scandinavian origin meaning “deer lover”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with O and ending in “-car”. US birth records list Oscar for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1886, when it ranked #26 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #223, with 1,620 babies.
Origin:Irish namesOld English namesScandinavian names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,465 | 183 boys |
| 1890s | 4,926 | 203 boys |
| 1900s | 3,354 | 298 boys |
| 1910s | 2,341 | 427 boys |
| 1920s | 1,611 | 621 boys |
| 1930s | 1,078 | 928 boys |
| 1940s | 694 | 1,440 boys |
| 1950s | 564 | 1,774 boys |
| 1960s | 516 | 1,939 boys |
| 1970s | 721 | 1,388 boys |
| 1980s | 846 | 1,182 boys |
| 1990s | 1,436 | 697 boys |
| 2000s | 1,680 | 595 boys |
| 2010s | 1,182 | 846 boys |
| 2020s | 998 | 1,002 boys |
Other spellings of Oscar
More Irish boy names
- Boy name: Liam · resolute protector
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
- Unisex name: Ryan · little king
- Boy name: Dominic · of the Lord
Questions about the name Oscar
What does the name Oscar mean?
Oscar means “deer lover” in Irish.
What is the origin of the name Oscar?
Oscar has Irish, Old English, Scandinavian roots in our records. Other Irish names include Liam, Owen, Logan.
Is Oscar a boy or girl name?
Oscar is a boy name.
How popular is the name Oscar?
Oscar ranked #223 for US boys in 2025, given to 1,620 babies. Its best year was 1886 (#26).