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Oswald as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Oswald

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The baby name Oswald is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈɒzwəld/ (BrE), /ˈɑːzwəld/ (AmE); respelling: OZ-wald.

Oswald is English, Germanic in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English, Germanic
Pronunciation: /ˈɒzwəld/ (BrE), /ˈɑːzwəld/ (AmE); respelling: OZ-wald

What is the meaning of the name Oswald ?

The baby name Oswald is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈɒzwəld/ (BrE), /ˈɑːzwəld/ (AmE); respelling: OZ-wald.

Oswald is English, Germanic in Origin.

Oswald stems from Old English ōs (“god, divine being”) + weald (“power, rule”), yielding the meaning “divine power” or “one who rules with/for the gods.” The name was borne by the 7th‑century king and martyr Saint Oswald of Northumbria, whose cult spread through Britain and Europe, securing its early medieval use. Oswald of Worcester (10th century) kept it visible in late Anglo‑Saxon England. After the Norman Conquest many native names faded; Oswald persisted in northern England and Scotland, appeared in German‑speaking lands through saintly veneration, and returned to wider English fashion with 19th‑century medieval revivalism.

International forms include Osvaldo (Spanish/Italian), Oswaldo (Spanish/Portuguese), Osvald (Scandinavian/Slavic), and the German and English Oswold/Oswalt. Diminutives and nicknames feature Oz, Ozzie/Ossie. As a surname, Oswald/Oswalt developed from the given name.

Oswald has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Oswald

Oswald of Sussex Royal · Born 700 Oswald is best known as an Ealdorman of Sussex in the 8th century, serving alongside the former kings Osmund, Ælfwald, and Oslac. He is recorded as a witness to a charter issued by Offa, King of Mercia, in 772, where his name appears as Osuualdus dux Suðsax'.

Oswald – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
BW 0 #19 1 960
NA 0 #33 1 2,537
HT Boys 0 #34 1 903
BI Boys 0 #37 8 917
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
JM 0 #91 3 3,714
KZ 0 #94 1 1,452
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
OM 0 #120 2 6,215
EC 0 #121 1 2,502
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
EE Boys 0 #125 1 2,087
PA 0 #135 4 3,797
BN Boys 0 #138 2 6,332
BW Boys 0 #149 6 4,685
MT Boys 0 #174 6 4,064
PR Boys 0 #178 1 2,508
Sweden Boys 2021 #182 2 1,578
AE 0 #183 5 10,220
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
Austria 0 #203 11 850
PL 0 #212 1 2,600
JM Boys 0 #216 57 6,876
LU Boys 0 #217 4 4,970
NA Boys 0 #221 15 6,830
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
MO Boys 0 #232 3 5,842
EC Boys 0 #239 8 3,322
AO Boys 0 #242 8 5,568
GH 0 #242 7 5,396
JP Girls 0 #251 1 6,592
TW Boys 0 #254 3 7,111
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
Austria Boys 0 #300 146 2,180
Canada Boys 2024 #301 6 2,588
CZ Boys 0 #303 3 6,530
JP Boys 0 #303 1 7,909
SA 0 #310 3 10,560
GH Boys 0 #323 23 8,138
CN Boys 0 #327 5 9,639
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
DK Boys 0 #332 1 7,401
PL Boys 0 #336 5 6,459
GT 0 #337 2 5,948
MY 0 #351 4 12,352
HK 0 #352 6 8,483
CN Girls 0 #359 1 8,829
BR 0 #360 1 5,969
MU Boys 0 #368 2 8,477
PT Boys 0 #375 7 7,951
France Boys 2020 #387 5 2,846
PH Boys 0 #402 7 11,440
BO 0 #407 2 6,868
UY Boys 0 #411 3 5,922
GT Boys 0 #424 51 7,625
ZA 0 #425 23 14,421
CL 0 #433 2 6,867
PA Boys 0 #442 40 9,305
MX 0 #443 3 8,339
SD Boys 0 #465 2 10,523
CO 0 #468 13 7,768
AR Boys 0 #480 4 7,628
HK Boys 0 #497 31 12,905
CR Boys 0 #502 9 10,188
CM Boys 0 #520 31 12,054
RU Boys 0 #521 6 12,621
RU Girls 0 #522 2 11,913
BH 0 #544 10 17,937
CM Girls 0 #558 3 11,671
PS Boys 0 #560 2 10,655
IR Boys 0 #563 3 10,162
BO Boys 0 #571 22 9,244
BD Boys 0 #605 1 10,045
IL Boys 0 #624 2 10,983
CL Boys 0 #637 29 13,390
BO Girls 0 #651 1 9,488
Finland Boys 2026 #670 13 3,552
SG Boys 0 #679 19 17,960
QA Boys 0 #695 13 18,093
IT 0 #705 10 4,183
KW Boys 0 #743 27 18,755
CO Boys 0 #772 149 15,656
BR Boys 0 #782 4 12,213
Germany Boys 0 #795 158 5,697
PE Boys 0 #821 58 14,506
United States Boys 2024 #823 70 7,044
NG Girls 0 #825 2 15,093
OM Boys 0 #863 19 17,948
MX Boys 0 #885 98 16,355
NL Boys 0 #893 59 5,873
Spain Boys 0 #906 25 5,610
NG Boys 0 #906 46 16,906
CL Girls 0 #915 1 14,098
EG Boys 0 #925 1 15,035
ZA Boys 0 #933 248 25,619
SA Girls 0 #1,014 1 25,931
IN Boys 0 #1,032 8 16,750
MY Boys 0 #1,033 79 25,439
AE Boys 0 #1,054 39 22,615
MY Girls 0 #1,071 2 24,821
CO Girls 0 #1,152 1 16,140
MA 0 #1,197 3 20,986
IT Boys 0 #1,228 244 10,046
DZ 0 #1,233 2 20,130
ZA Girls 0 #1,236 1 25,928
TR 0 #1,251 4 19,440
SA Boys 0 #1,590 25 28,008

Oswald is popular in 68 countries — most recent births per country:

France
United States
Canada
Sweden
AE

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People also ask about Oswald

Oswald is predominantly a boy's name.
Oswald is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈɒzwəld/ (BrE), /ˈɑːzwəld/ (AmE); respelling: OZ-wald.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Ōswald, Oswald, Osvald, Osvaldo, Oswaldo and Osswald.
Yes — Oswald ranked #182 in Sweden in 2021, and appears in official birth registries across 5 countries.
Oswald ranks highest in Sweden (#182 in 2021).
Oswald's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #409 in 2013 to #387 in 2020 in France.
Yes — 1 notable people named Oswald are in our database, including Oswald of Sussex (Royal).