Oscar
Irish os “deer” plus cara “friend,” fused in English with the Norse Ásgeirr.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Oscar appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in every year from 1880 to 1925. Its biggest year was 2006, when 3,601 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 118 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1883, at No. 26. In 2025 it ranked No. 223 for boys. All told, 214,168 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Oskar (3,241) (total births since 1880)
Explore Oscar interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,982 | No. 26 |
| 1890s | 5,612 | No. 29 |
| 1900s | 4,517 | No. 47 |
| 1910s | 14,869 | No. 68 |
| 1920s | 17,740 | No. 90 |
| 1930s | 11,373 | No. 124 |
| 1940s | 10,188 | No. 165 |
| 1950s | 11,365 | No. 192 |
| 1960s | 9,908 | No. 228 |
| 1970s | 11,847 | No. 179 |
| 1980s | 15,661 | No. 152 |
| 1990s | 27,885 | No. 116 |
| 2000s | 33,545 | No. 117 |
| 2010s | 22,260 | No. 147 |
| 2020s | 10,346 | No. 201 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.