Oswald
Oswald was the 2161st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 67 babies. Its best year was 1886, when it ranked 465th; the most babies were born in 1916 (107). Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,887 places. More babies were named Oswald in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings
- Rank in 2025
- #2,161 boys, up 854 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 67boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1916107 babies
- Total since 1880
- 4,407babies recorded
Oswald popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,161 | 67 |
| 2020 | #3,015 | 39 |
| 2010 | #4,639 | 21 |
| 2000 | #4,027 | 20 |
| 1990 | #2,754 | 24 |
| 1980 | #2,593 | 19 |
| 1970 | #1,689 | 27 |
| 1960 | #1,610 | 26 |
| 1950 | #1,490 | 25 |
| 1940 | #1,670 | 18 |
| 1930 | #763 | 71 |
| 1920 | #729 | 80 |
| 1910 | #530 | 29 |
| 1900 | #952 | 9 |
| 1890 | #594 | 12 |
| 1880 | #674 | 9 |
How popular is Oswald, counting every spelling?
Oswald is the most common spelling of a name family that had 67 boys in 2025 across its spellings. Together these spellings went to 67 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oswald | 67 | #2,161 | 311 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Oswald?
67 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Oswald (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Oswald born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 125 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Oswald.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Oswald?
About 1,900 people born in the US named Oswald are alive today, with a median age of 34; half are between 10 and 58. That makes Oswald mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Oswald by state
How common Oswald was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 43 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Oswald: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Oswald, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Oswald
How popular is the name Oswald?
Oswald was the 2161st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 67 babies. Its best year was 1886, when it ranked 465th; the most babies were born in 1916 (107). Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,887 places. More babies were named Oswald in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Oswald a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Oswald in the US.
Where is Oswald most popular?
In 2021–2025, Oswald was most common in California (0.04 per 1,000 boys), followed by Arizona and Ohio.