Oscar
Say it: OS-kar
BoyIrishMythologyMeans traditionally "deer friend", though the origin is uncertain5 letters2 syllables
#31
in Ireland (2025)
#34 with spellings combined
149
babies in 2025
#30
best rank (2021)
3,415
babies since 1969
Up 11
10-year rank change
Oscar through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 149 | #34 |
| 2024 | 159 | #33 |
| 2023 | 154 | #31 |
| 2022 | 156 | #38 |
| 2021 | 189 | #30 |
| 2020 | 178 | #31 |
| 2019 | 156 | #43 |
| 2018 | 185 | #37 |
| 2017 | 168 | #44 |
| 2016 | 172 | #46 |
| 2015 | 170 | #45 |
| 2014 | 179 | #46 |
| 2013 | 184 | #46 |
| 2012 | 150 | #61 |
| 2011 | 135 | #62 |
| 2010 | 135 | #61 |
| 2009 | 132 | #66 |
| 2008 | 132 | #65 |
| 2007 | 89 | #81 |
| 2006 | 68 | #92 |
| 2005 | 80 | #79 |
| 2004 | 57 | #104 |
| 2003 | 44 | #113 |
| 2002 | 39 | #118 |
| 2001 | 35 | #127 |
| 2000 | 20 | #164 |
| 1999 | 25 | #136 |
| 1998 | 20 | #150 |
| 1997 | 7 | #261 |
| 1996 | 10 | #223 |
| 1995 | 8 | #234 |
| 1994 | 6 | #247 |
| 1993 | 5 | #275 |
| 1992 | 4 | #298 |
| 1982 | 4 | #286 |
| 1975 | 5 | #265 |
| 1974 | 3 | #321 |
| 1969 | 3 | #291 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Oscar mean?
Traditionally "deer friend", though the origin is uncertain
Irish, from the Middle Irish name Oscar, later blended with an Old English name.
Say it right
OSkar
The story of Oscar
In Irish legend Oscar is the son of Oisín and the grandson of Fionn mac Cumhaill, and one of the bravest of the Fianna. The name is traditionally split into os (deer) and cara (friend), but some scholars link it instead with an old word for an outsider or newcomer, so the meaning is not settled.
The Scottish writer James Macpherson brought Oscar to readers all over Europe with his Ossian poems in the 1760s. Napoleon admired them and chose the name for his godson, who later became King Oscar I of Sweden. Along the way the name also merged with an unrelated Old English name, Ōsgār. The best-known Irish bearer is the Dublin-born writer Oscar Wilde.
In Ireland Oscar was rare until the late 1990s, then rose steadily. It reached number 30 in 2021 with 189 babies. It is a little more popular in Northern Ireland, where it ranked 25th in 2025.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Oscar (English and Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Oscar (Irish mythology)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Oscar | 149 | 3,415 |
In Northern Ireland
#25 in 2025 with 63 babies. Best rank #24 (2014); 1,185 babies since 1999.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.