Oswald

Did you know?

A few things about Oswald you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Oswald

Oswald Spengler

German historian and philosopher (1880-1936)

Choose Oswald and your child shares a first name with Oswald Spengler, a German historian and philosopher. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Oswald, like who?” Oswald Spengler's Wikipedia article is available in 90 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Oswald Spengler on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 de (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 25,510 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Oswald, 67 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Oswald would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryOswald has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Oswalds, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1886, when it ranked #451. Today it's #2,145, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📈Then vs nowOswald is 3.8× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 98,039 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 25,510.
• 🚀TrendOswald has climbed 835 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #2,145. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedOswald is most popular in Arizona, where it ranks #844. It's in the top 1,000 in 1 state.
• 💬MeaningIn Old English, Oswald means “divine power”. Our records link it to English, German and Scandinavian roots.

About the name Oswald

Oswald is a boy name of English, German and Scandinavian origin meaning “divine power”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with O and ending in “-ald”. US birth records list Oswald for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1886, when it ranked #451 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #2,145, with 67 babies.

Origin:English namesGerman namesScandinavian names