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The short answer
Oscar is a masculine name used in English and Irish. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Possibly means ‘deer friend’, derived from Old Irish oss ‘deer’ and carae ‘friend’. Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name Osgar or its Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers." It ranked #223 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, possibly means ‘deer friend’, derived from Old Irish oss ‘deer’ and carae ‘friend’. Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name Osgar or its Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. The entry lists its usage as English, Irish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian and others.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Oscar ranked #223 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #223 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Oscar in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Oscar mean?
Oscar means "deer friend", according to Behind the Name.
Is Oscar a popular name?
Oscar ranked #223 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Oscar a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Oscar appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Oscar — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
