View source for Oscar (given name)

{{Infobox name
| name                 = Oscar
| image                = Erik (Wahlberg) Wahlbergson - Oscar I, King of Sweden and Norway 1844-1859 - Google Art Project.jpg
| caption              = [[Oscar I of Sweden]]
| romanisation         =
| pronunciation        = {{IPAc-en|lang|ˈ|ɒ|s|k|ər}}<br>{{IPA|es|ˈoskaɾ|lang}}<br>{{IPA|pt|ˈɔʃkɐɾ|lang}}<br>{{IPA|it|ˈɔskar|lang}}<br>{{IPA|de|ˈɔskaʁ|lang}}<br>{{IPA|sv|ˈɔ̂sːkar|lang}}
| gender               = Masculine
| meaning              = "Friend of [[Deer]]" or "god's spear"
| motto                =
| region               =
| language             = [[Old English]], [[Irish language|Irish]]
| languageorigin       = English, Irish
| origin               =
| alternative spelling = Oskar
| nickname             =
| shortform            =
| petname              =
| variant forms        =
| related names        =
| cognate              =
| anglicisation        =
| name day             =
| derived              =
| derivative           =
| derivation           = ''os'' +  ''cara'' or os + gar
| seealso              =
| popularity           =
| footnotes            =
}}
'''Oscar''' or '''Oskar''' is a masculine [[given name]] of English<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oscar |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/Oscar |access-date=2024-03-21 |work=Online Etymology Dictionary |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Oscar |date=2024-03-18 |publisher=Wiktionary, the free dictionary |url=https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Oscar&oldid=78510368 |access-date=2024-03-21 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Mike |title=Meaning, origin and history of the name Oscar |url=https://www.behindthename.com/name/oscar |access-date=2024-03-21 |publisher=Behind the Name |language=en}}</ref> and Irish<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Mike |title=Meaning, origin and history of the name Oscar |url=https://www.behindthename.com/name/oscar |access-date=2024-03-21 |publisher=Behind the Name |language=en}}</ref> origin.
==Etymology==
The name is derived from two elements in Irish: the first, ''os'', means "deer"; the second element, ''car'', means "loving" or "friend", thus "deer-loving one" or "friend of deer". The name is borne by a character in [[Irish mythology]]—[[Oscar (Irish mythology)|Oscar]], grandson of [[Fionn Mac Cumhaill]], and refers to his descent from his grandmother, [[Sadhbh]], who was enchanted into the form of a deer.
Less likely, it is derived from Norse-Irish ''Osgar'' "god's spear," from ''gar'' "spear" + ''os'' "god".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oscar {{!}} Etymology of the name Oscar by etymonline |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/Oscar |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=www.etymonline.com |language=en}}</ref>
The name was popularised in the 18th century by Scottish poet [[James Macpherson]], creator of '[[Ossian]]ic poetry'. Today the name is associated with [[Scandinavia]] because [[Napoleon]] was an admirer of Macpherson's work and gave the name to his godson, Joseph Bernadotte, who later became [[Oscar I of Sweden|Oscar I, King of Sweden]].<ref name="H1">{{citation |last1=Hanks |first1=Patrick |author-link1=Patrick Hanks |last2=Hardcastle |first2=Kate |last3=Hodges |first3=Flavia |title=A Dictionary of First Names |edition=2nd |series=Oxford Paperback Reference |year=2006 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-861060-1 |pages=212, 354 }}</ref> Consequently, at the time many Swedes were named Oscar. The name was given to more than a half-dozen members of Scandinavian royal houses.<ref>{{cite book|last1=MacKillop|first1=J.|title=Fionn Mac Cumhaill: Celtic Myth in English Literature|date=1986|page=2}}</ref> Oscar was the third most popular name for males born in Sweden in 2013<ref>{{cite web|title=Pojknamn 2013|url=http://www.scb.se/sv_/Hitta-statistik/Statistik-efter-amne/Befolkning/Amnesovergripande-statistik/Namnstatistik/30898/30905/Nyfodda---Pojkar-efter-namngivningsar-och-tilltalsnamn-topp-100-/369428/|publisher=Statistiska centralbyrån}}</ref> and is ranked 51 in terms of the most popular male names in Sweden.<ref>{{cite web|title=Svenska namn - Allt för föräldrar|url=http://svenskanamn.alltforforaldrar.se/statistik/statistics/2/0/0/page:4}}</ref>
There is alternative speculation that it may be derived from the [[Old Norse]] cognate ''[[Asgeir|Ásgeirr]]'' (a personal name itself composed of the elements meaning "god" and "spear").<ref name="ancestry1">{{cite web |title=McCusker Family History |url=http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=McCusker |publisher=[[Ancestry.com]] |access-date=6 December 2014}}</ref>
==Cognates==
*[[Austrian German]], [[Croatian language|Croatian]], [[Czech language|Czech]], [[Estonian language|Estonian]], [[Finnish language|Finnish]], [[German language|German]], [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]], [[Polish language|Polish]], [[Scandinavian language|Scandinavian]], [[Slovenian language|Slovenian]], [[Swedish language|Swedish]], [[Swiss German]]: ''Oskar''.
**[[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]: ''Óskar''.
*[[Catalan language|Catalan]]: ''Òscar''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Òscar - Viccionari|url=https://ca.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%92scar|access-date=2021-01-02|website=ca.wiktionary.org}}</ref>
*[[Danish language|Danish]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[English language|English]], [[French language|French]], [[Irish language in Northern Ireland|Irish]], [[Italian language|Italian]], [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], [[Swedish language|Swedish]]: ''Oscar''.
**[[Spanish language|Spanish]], Portuguese (mostly European): ''Óscar''.
*[[Finnish language|Finnish]]: ''Oskari'', ''Okko'', ''Osku'' (a [[pet form]] of ''Oskari'').<ref name="oscar1">{{citation |last1=Hanks |first1=Patrick |author1-link=Patrick Hanks |last2=Hodges |first2=Flavia |title=A Dictionary of First Names |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0198606052 |year=2003 }}</ref>
*[[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]: Oszkár
*[[Latin]]: Anscharius.
*[[Latvian language|Latvian]]: ''[[Oskars]]''.
*[[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]]: Oskaras.
*[[Scottish Gaelic]]: ''Osgar''.<ref name="oscar1"/>
*[[Gaeilge]]: Osgar/Osgur.
==People with the given name Oscar==
* [[Oscar (footballer, born 1954)|José Oscar Bernardi]] (born 1954), Brazilian footballer
* [[Oscar (footballer, born 1991)|Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior]] (born 1991) , Brazilian footballer
* [[Oscar I of Sweden]] (1799–1859), King of Sweden and Norway
* [[Oscar II of Sweden]] (1829–1907), King of Sweden and Norway
* [[Oscar Acosta (disambiguation)|Oscar Acosta]], several people
* [[Oscar Aguad]] (born 1950), Argentine politician
* [[Oscar Ahumada]] (born 1982), Argentine footballer
* [[Oscar Ahnfelt]] (1813–1882), Swedish singer, composer and music publisher
* [[Oscar Albayalde]] (born 1963), Filipino retired police officer
* [[Oscar Allen (footballer)|Oscar Allen]] (born 1999), Australian rules footballer
* [[Oscar Almgren]] (1869–1945), Swedish archaeologist
* [[Oscar Ameringer]] (1870–1943), German-American editor, author, and organizer
* [[Oscar Andriani]] (1905–1987), Italian actor and playwright
* [[Oscar Asche]] (1871–1936), Australian actor, director, and writer
* [[Oscar Aubuchon]] (1917–1970), Canadian  ice hockey player
* [[Prince Oscar Bernadotte]] (1859–1953), Swedish prince and admiral
* [[Oscar Baumann]] (1864–1899), Austrian explorer, cartographer and ethnographer
* [[Oscar Bardi de Fourtou]] (1836–1897), French politician
* [[Oscar Beregi (actor, born 1918)|Oscar Beregi]] (1918–1976), Hungarian-American actor
* [[Oscar Bettison]] (born 1975), British/American composer
* [[Oscar Bianchi]] (born 1975), Italian-Swiss composer
* [[Óscar Elías Biscet|Oscar Elias Biscet]] (born 1961), Cuban physician and activist
* [[Oscar Bobb]] (born 2003), Norwegian professional footballer
* [[Oscar Bonavena]] (1942–1976), Argentine boxer
* [[Oscar Brodney]] (1907–2008), American lawyer and screenwriter
* [[Oscar Bronner]] (born 1943), Austrian journalist and painter
* [[Oscar Cantú|Oscar Cantu]] (born 1966), Mexican-American Catholic prelate
* [[Oscar Cesare]] (1883–1948), Swedish-American caricaturist, painter, and cartoonist
* [[Oscar Coggins]] (born 1999), Hong Kong triathlon athlete
* [[Oscar Colás]] (born 1998), Cuban baseball player
* [[Oscar Collazo]] (1914–1994), Puerto Rican militant
* [[Oscar Cortínez]] (born 1973), Argentine marathon runner
* [[Oscar Dansk]] (born 1994), Swedish ice hockey player
* [[Oscar Danielson (disambiguation)|Oscar Danielson]], multiple people
* [[Oscar Drouin]] (1890–1953), Canadian politician
* [[Oscar Dunn]] (1822–1871), American politician
* [[Oscar Fantenberg]] (born 1991), Swedish professional ice hockey player
* [[Oscar Feltsman]] (1921–2013), Soviet-Ukrainian composer
* [[Oscar Fernandes]] (1941-2021), Indian politician
* [[Oscar Lorenzo Fernández]] (1897–1948), Brazilian composer
* [[Oscar Filho]] (born 1978), Brazilian TV presenter, reporter, actor, comedian, writer and businessperson
* [[Oscar Foronda]] (born 1970), Spanish actor
* [[Oscar Fristrom]] (1856–1918), Australian portrait painter and art teacher
* [[Oscar Gamble]] (1949–2018), American baseball player
* [[Oscar Gardner]] (1872–1928), American bantamweight and featherweight boxer
* [[Oscar Grant]] (1986–2009), African American fatally shot by police
* [[Oscar Hammerstein I]] (1846–1919), German-American businessman and theatre impresario
* [[Oscar Hammerstein II]] (1895–1960), American songwriter and musical director
* [[Oscar Han]] (1891–1976), Romanian sculptor and writer
* [[Oscar Hijuelos]] (1951–2013), Cuban-American novelist
* [[Oscar Holmes]] (1916–2001), first African-American Naval Aviator and air traffic controller
* [[Oscar De La Hoya]] (born 1973), American boxer and boxing promoter
* [[Oscar Isaac]] (born 1979), American actor
* [[Oscar Jacobson]] (1882–1966), Swedish-born American painter and museum curator
* [[Oscar James]] (born 1942), Trinidadian actor
* [[Oscar Kahl]] (born 1997), Thai football player
* [[Oscar Krokstedt]] (1908–1985), Swedish Navy vice admiral
* [[Oscar Levant]] (1906–1972, American pianist, composer, author, comedian, and actor)
* [[Oscar Lloyd]] (born 1997), British actor
* [[Oscar Malapitan]] (born 1955), Filipino politician
* [[Oscar Massin]] (1829-1913), Belgian-born French jeweler known as “The Diamond Reformer"
* [[Oscar Niemeyer]] (1907–2012), Brazilian architect
* [[Oscar Osterman]] (1894–1956), Swedish Army officer
* [[Oscar Peterson]] (1925–2007), Canadian jazz pianist and composer
* [[Oscar Piastri]] (born 2001), Australian racing driver
* [[Oscar Pistorius]] (born 1986), South African convicted murderer and ex-Olympic sprinter
* [[Oscar Raise]] (born 1952), Italian high jumper
* [[Oscar Randal-Williams]] (born 1984) British mathematician
* [[Oscar van Rappard]] (1896–1962), Dutch footballer and hurdler
* [[Oscar de la Renta]] (1932–2014), Dominican-American fashion designer
* [[Oscar Robertson]] (born 1938), American basketball player
* [[Oscar Luigi Scalfaro]] (1918–2012), Italian politician
* [[Ossie Schectman]] (1919–2013), American basketball player who scored the first basket in National Basketball Association history
* [[Oscar Schmidt]] (born 1958), Brazilian basketball player
* [[Oscar J. Smith]] (1859–1937), American lawyer and politician
* [[Oscar Strático]] (born 1956), Argentine judoka and wrestler
* [[Oscar Traynor]] (1886–1963), Irish politician
* [[Oscar Tshiebwe]] (born 1999), Congolese basketball player
* [[Oscar Wendt]] (born 1985), Swedish football player
* [[Oscar Wilde]] (1854–1900), Irish writer and poet
* [[Oscar Lawton Wilkerson]] (1926-2023), American pilot
==People with the given name Oskar==
* [[Prince Oskar of Prussia]] (1888–1958), German Prince (Prince of Prussia)
* [[Oskar Alexander]] (1876–1953), Croatian painter
* [[Oskar Anderson]] (1887–1960), German-Russian mathematician
* [[Oskar Andersson]] (1877–1906), Swedish cartoonist
* [[Oskar Angelus]] (1892–1979), Estonian politician
* [[Oskar Backlund]] (1846–1916), Swedish-Russian astronomer
* [[Oskar Baum]] (1883–1941), Czech music educator and writer
* [[Oskar Deutsch]] (born 1963), Austrian entrepreneur and President of the Jewish Community of Vienna
* [[Oskar Dirlewanger]] (1895–1945), German military officer and war criminal of Nazi Germany
* [[Oskar Dvořák]] (born 1991), Slovak politician
* {{anbl|Oskar Edlund}}
* [[Oskar Enkvist]] (1849–1912), Russian admiral
* [[Oskar Fischer (disambiguation)]], multiple people
* [[Oskar Freysinger]] (born 1960), Swiss politician
* [[Oskar Gröning]] (1921 – 2018), German SS Unterscharführer at the Auschwitz concentration camp
* [[Oskar Heil]] (1908–1994), German electrical engineer and inventor
* [[Oskar Hoffmann (painter)|Oskar Hoffmann]] (1851–1912), Baltic-German painter
* [[Oskar Homolka]] (1898–1978), Austrian film and theatre actor
* [[Oskar von Hutier]] (1857–1934), German military commander
* [[Óskar Jónasson]], Icelandic film director and screenwriter
* [[Oskar Kallas]] (1868–1946), Estonian diplomat, linguist and folklorist
* [[Oskar Kallis]] (1892–1918), Estonian painter
* [[Oskar Kaplur]] (1889–1962), Estonian wrestler
* [[Oskar Kirmes]] (born 1995), Finnish artistic gymnast
* [[Oskar Klein]] (1894–1977), Swedish physicist
* [[Oskar Kokoschka]] (1886–1980), Austrian-British-Swiss artist, poet and playwright
* [[Oskar Kolberg]] (1814–1890), Polish ethnographer, folklorist, and composer
* [[Oskar Lafontaine]] (born 1943), German politician
* [[Oskar Loorits]] (1900–1961), Estonian folklorist
* [[Oskar Luts]] (1887–1953), Estonian writer
* [[Oskar Matute]] (born 1972), Basque politician
* [[Oskar Merikanto]] (1868–1924), Finnish musician and composer
* [[Oskar Morgenstern]] (1902–1977), Austrian-American economist
* [[Oskar Nedbal]] (1874–1930), Czech violist, composer, and conductor
* [[Oskar Osala]] (born 1987), Finnish ice hockey player
* [[Oskar Painter]], Canadian physicist
* [[Oskar Pfungst]] (1874–1932), German biologist and psychologist
* [[Oskar Potiorek]] (1853–1933), Austro-Hungarian military commander
* [[Oskar Roehler]] (born 1959), German film director
* [[Oskar Schindler]] (1908–1974), German industrialist, spy and humanitarian
* [[Oskar Schlemmer]] (1888–1943), German painter, sculptor, designer and choreographer
* [[Oskar Seuntjens]] (born 1998), Belgian politician
* [[Panda Eyes]] (born 1996), Oskar Steinbeck, Swiss DJ and music producer
* [[Oskar Vogt]] (1870–1959), German physician and neurologist
==People with the given name Oskari==
* [[Oskari Friman]] (1893–1933), Finnish wrestler
* [[Oskari Frösén]] (born 1976), Finnish high jumper
* [[Oskari Mantere]] (1874–1942), Finnish politician
* [[Oskari Mörö]] (born 1993), Finnish hurdler
* [[Oskari Rissanen]] (1893–1957), Finnish runner
* [[Oskari Tokoi]] (1873-1963), Finnish politician
==People with the given name Oszkár==
* [[Oszkár Frey]] (born 1953), Hungarian canoer
* [[Oszkár Gerde]] (1883-1944), Hungarian 2x Olympic champion sabre fencer
* [[Oszkár Nagy]] (1893–1965), Hungarian painter
==People with the given name Óscar==
* [[Óscar Marcelino Álvarez]] (1948–2016), Argentine football player
* [[Óscar Álvarez (cyclist)]] (born 1977), Colombian cyclist
* [[Óscar Álvarez (footballer, born 1977)|Óscar Álvarez (footballer)]] (born 1977), Spanish football player
* [[Óscar Alzaga]] (born 1942), Spanish jurist, academic and politician
* [[Óscar Chinchilla]] (born 1969), Guatemalan politician
* [[Óscar David Álvarez]] (born 1983), Colombian golfer
* [[Óscar de Marcos]] (born 1989), Spanish footballer
* [[Óscar Fernández (fencer)]] (born 1962), Spanish fencer
* [[Óscar Fernández (athlete)]] (born 1974), Spanish runner
* [[Óscar Fernández (football manager, born 1974)|Óscar Fernández (football manager)]] (born 1974), Spanish football coach
* [[Óscar Fernández (judoka)]] (born 1978), Spanish judoka
* [[Óscar Freire]] (born 1976), Spanish cyclist
* [[Rey Mysterio|Óscar Gutiérrez]] (born 1974), American professional wrestler better known as Rey Mysterio
* [[Óscar Pereiro]] (born 1977), Spanish cyclist
* [[Óscar Romero]] (1917–1980), saint and Salvadoran Archbishop
* [[Óscar Sevilla]] (born 1976), Spanish cyclist
* [[Óscar Téllez]] (born 1975), Spanish football player
* [[Óscar Valdez]] (born 1990), Mexican professional boxer
* [[Óscar Vargas (cyclist)]] (born 1964), Colombian cyclist
* [[Óscar Vargas (footballer)]] (born 1980), Honduran footballer
* [[Óscar Vega (boxer)|Óscar Vega]] (born 1965), Spanish boxer
* [[Óscar Villarreal (baseball)|Óscar Villarreal]] (born 1981), American baseball player
==Fictional characters with the given name Oscar or Oskar==
* [[Oscar the Grouch]], a Muppet on ''[[Sesame Street]]''
* [[Oscar (Irish mythology)]], the warrior son of Oisín and Niamh
* [[Oscar Bluth]], a character on the television series ''[[Arrested Development]]''
* [[Oscar François de Jarjayes]], a female protagonist on the anime series ''[[The Rose of Versailles]]''
* Oscar Goldman, a character on ''[[The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' and ''[[The Bionic Woman]]''
* Oscar Madison, a character on ''[[The Odd Couple (play)|The Odd Couple]]''
* [[Oscar Martinez (The Office)|Oscar Martinez (''The Office'')]]
* [[Oscar Osborne]], a character on ''[[Hollyoaks]]''
* [[List of Prison Break characters#Other miscellaneous characters|Oscar Shales]], a character on the television series ''[[Prison Break]]''
* Oskar Schell, the protagonist in the novel ''[[Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close]]''
* Old Oscar, a biplane on ''[[Jay Jay the Jet Plane]]''
* Oscar, a Lance Knight character in the video game ''[[Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance]]''
* Oscar, a lion in the ''[[Ice Age (2002 film)|Ice Age]]'' movies
* Oscar, a fish in ''[[Shark Tale]]''
* Oscar, Captain Tangent's parrot on ''[[WordGirl]]''
* Oskar Eriksson, the protagonist in the novel ''[[Let the Right One In (novel)|Let the Right One In]]''
* Oscar Fishtooth, a character on ''[[Fish Hooks]]''
* [[List of Star vs. the Forces of Evil characters#Oskar Greason|Oskar Greason]], a character from the animated series ''[[Star vs. the Forces of Evil]]''
* Oscar Hidalgo, a character in ''[[Ang Probinsyano]]''
* Oscar, the titular character on cartoon series ''[[Oscar's Oasis]]''
* Oscar Pine, a character in the animated web series ''[[RWBY]]''
* Oscar, a character from odd squad
* Oskar Kokoshka, a character from ''[[Hey Arnold!]]''
==See also==
*[[List of Irish-language given names]]
*[[Oskarsson]], which also includes Oscarsson and Óskarsson
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{given name}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oscar (Given Name)}}
[[Category:Danish masculine given names]]
[[Category:English masculine given names]]
[[Category:Masculine given names]]
[[Category:English-language masculine given names]]
[[Category:Estonian masculine given names]]
[[Category:German masculine given names]]
[[Category:Icelandic masculine given names]]
[[Category:Irish masculine given names]]
[[Category:Irish-language masculine given names]]
[[Category:Norwegian masculine given names]]
[[Category:Scandinavian masculine given names]]
[[Category:Swedish masculine given names]]
[[Category:Spanish masculine given names]]
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