Oswald is a boy name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Oswald means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Oswald across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Oswald has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Oswald is a boy name of Old English origin meaning “divine power, god's rule”. From os (god) and weald (power), borne by a sainted English king.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 4,407 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 228 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 3 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Oswald per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1916 (107/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2024 (27/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2025 (3/yr).
Oswald is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1916, when it ranked #1,203 nationally (given to 107 babies that year).
Oswaldo · Osualdo · Ozwald · Eseld
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