Oscar (given name)

English: /ˈɒskər/
Spanish: [ˈoskaɾ]
Portuguese: [ˈɔʃkɐɾ]
Italian: [ˈɔskar]
German: [ˈɔskaʁ]
Swedish: [ˈɔ̂sːkar]GenderMasculineLanguage(s)Old English, IrishOriginLanguage(s)English, IrishDerivationos + cara or os + garMeaning"Friend of Deer" or "god's spear"Other namesAlternative spellingOskar

Oscar or Oskar is a masculine given name of English[1][2][3] and Irish[4] 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, 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".[5]

The name was popularised in the 18th century by Scottish poet James Macpherson, creator of 'Ossianic 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, King of Sweden.[6] Consequently, at the time many Swedes were named Oscar. The name was given to more than a half-dozen members of Scandinavian royal houses.[7] Oscar was the third most popular name for males born in Sweden in 2013[8] and is ranked 51 in terms of the most popular male names in Sweden.[9]

There is alternative speculation that it may be derived from the Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr (a personal name itself composed of the elements meaning "god" and "spear").[10]

Cognates

People with the given name Oscar

People with the given name Oskar

People with the given name Oskari

People with the given name Oszkár

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), 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), Spanish football coach
  • Óscar Fernández (judoka) (born 1978), Spanish judoka
  • Óscar Freire (born 1976), Spanish cyclist
  • 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 (born 1965), Spanish boxer
  • Óscar Villarreal (born 1981), American baseball player

Fictional characters with the given name Oscar or Oskar

See also

References

  1. ^ "Oscar". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  2. ^ Oscar, Wiktionary, the free dictionary, 2024-03-18, retrieved 2024-03-21
  3. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Meaning, origin and history of the name Oscar". Behind the Name. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  4. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Meaning, origin and history of the name Oscar". Behind the Name. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  5. ^ "Oscar | Etymology of the name Oscar by etymonline". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  6. ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, pp. 212, 354, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1
  7. ^ MacKillop, J. (1986). Fionn Mac Cumhaill: Celtic Myth in English Literature. p. 2.
  8. ^ "Pojknamn 2013". Statistiska centralbyrån.
  9. ^ "Svenska namn - Allt för föräldrar".
  10. ^ "McCusker Family History". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  11. ^ "Òscar - Viccionari". ca.wiktionary.org. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  12. ^ a b Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia (2003), A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0198606052
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