Oscar
A male given name from Irish or Old English.
Every Oscar since 1880 — 214,168 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Oscar
Oscar is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #223 in 2025 with 1,620 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 214,168 American babies have been named Oscar. Its peak came in 2006, when 3,607 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Oscar stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Oscar year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 1,620 | #223 |
| 2024 | — | — | 1,669 | #216 |
| 2023 | — | — | 1,702 | #216 |
| 2022 | — | — | 1,892 | #201 |
| 2021 | — | — | 1,697 | #226 |
| 2020 | — | — | 1,766 | #214 |
| 2019 | — | — | 1,892 | #205 |
| 2018 | — | — | 1,956 | #206 |
| 2017 | — | — | 2,048 | #192 |
| 2016 | — | — | 2,261 | #177 |
| 2015 | 5 | #18,461 | 2,299 | #181 |
| 2014 | — | — | 2,321 | #184 |
| 2013 | — | — | 2,242 | #178 |
| 2012 | — | — | 2,198 | #177 |
| 2011 | — | — | 2,378 | #162 |
| 2010 | 5 | #19,127 | 2,665 | #147 |
| 2009 | 7 | #14,841 | 3,117 | #131 |
| 2008 | — | — | 3,563 | #120 |
| 2007 | 8 | #13,610 | 3,548 | #121 |
| 2006 | 6 | #16,609 | 3,601 | #118 |
| 2005 | 7 | #14,137 | 3,461 | #117 |
| 2004 | 15 | #7,734 | 3,348 | #123 |
| 2003 | 14 | #7,891 | 3,301 | #122 |
| 2002 | 17 | #6,620 | 3,233 | #120 |
| 2001 | 8 | #11,791 | 3,195 | #122 |
| 2000 | 8 | #11,517 | 3,178 | #122 |
| 1995 | 18 | #5,383 | 2,730 | #130 |
| 1990 | 22 | #4,476 | 2,328 | #135 |
| 1985 | 11 | #6,331 | 1,592 | #169 |
| 1980 | 15 | #4,913 | 1,396 | #176 |
| 1975 | 11 | #5,407 | 1,235 | #184 |
| 1970 | 8 | #6,200 | 1,042 | #225 |
| 1965 | 8 | #5,169 | 989 | #232 |
| 1960 | — | — | 1,066 | #245 |
| 1955 | 7 | #5,076 | 1,155 | #211 |
| 1950 | 9 | #3,875 | 1,103 | #192 |
| 1945 | 7 | #3,930 | 939 | #176 |
| 1940 | 6 | #4,234 | 936 | #167 |
| 1935 | 7 | #3,665 | 1,091 | #143 |
| 1930 | 17 | #2,090 | 1,467 | #124 |
| 1925 | 10 | #3,307 | 1,754 | #99 |
| 1920 | 12 | #2,855 | 2,006 | #90 |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,228 | 1,788 | #88 |
| 1910 | — | — | 505 | #73 |
| 1905 | — | — | 436 | #56 |
| 1900 | 5 | #2,153 | 563 | #47 |
| 1895 | — | — | 549 | #39 |
| 1890 | 7 | #1,174 | 628 | #29 |
| 1885 | — | — | 623 | #28 |
| 1880 | — | — | 544 | #29 |
Famous people named Oscar
- Oscar Wilde Writer · 1854–1900
- Oscar Niemeyer Architect · 1907–2012
- Oscar II of Sweden Politician · 1829–1907
- Oscar I of Sweden Politician · 1799–1859
- Oscar Peterson Musician · 1925–2007
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Oscar mean?
A male given name from Irish or Old English.
How popular is the name Oscar in 2025?
Oscar ranked #223 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,620 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Oscar?
214,168 babies have been named Oscar in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Oscar most popular?
Oscar peaked in 2006, when 3,607 newborns received the name.
Is Oscar a boy or girl name?
Oscar is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Oscar rising or falling?
Oscar is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Oscar?
Well-known people named Oscar include Oscar Wilde (writer), Oscar Niemeyer (architect), Oscar II of Sweden (politician).