Oscar
Boy name · #223 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Oscar? In official American birth records, Oscar has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Oscar is currently the #223 boy name in the United States — 1,620 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #181, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,111 boys born in 2025 was named Oscar.
Babies named Oscar per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Oscar first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 544 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2006, when 3,601 boys were named Oscar — good for #118 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Oscar against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Oscar in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Oscar is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Oscar is most common
Geography matters for names, and Oscar is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Oscar is most common in NM (2.5 per 1,000), MD (1.7 per 1,000), TX (1.5 per 1,000), NV (1.5 per 1,000), MN (1.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Oscar is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Oscar
Statistically, parents drawn to Oscar tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Omar, Cesar, Edgar, Javier, and Miguel.
OmarCesarEdgarJavierMiguelJesusRafaelHector
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Oscar | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,620 | #223 |
| 2024 | 1,669 | #216 |
| 2023 | 1,702 | #216 |
| 2022 | 1,892 | #201 |
| 2021 | 1,697 | #226 |
| 2020 | 1,766 | #214 |
| 2019 | 1,892 | #205 |
| 2018 | 1,956 | #206 |
| 2017 | 2,048 | #192 |
| 2016 | 2,261 | #176 |
| 2015 | 2,299 | #181 |
| 2014 | 2,321 | #184 |
| 2013 | 2,242 | #178 |
| 2012 | 2,198 | #177 |
| 2011 | 2,378 | #162 |
| 2010 | 2,665 | #147 |
| 2009 | 3,117 | #131 |
| 2008 | 3,563 | #120 |
| 2007 | 3,548 | #121 |
| 2006 | 3,601 | #118 |
| 2005 | 3,461 | #117 |
| 2004 | 3,348 | #123 |
| 2003 | 3,301 | #122 |
| 2002 | 3,233 | #120 |
| 2001 | 3,195 | #122 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Oscar?
In official American birth records, the name Oscar first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 544 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Oscar a popular boy name?
Oscar ranked #223 among boys in 2025 with 1,620 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #181.
When was the name Oscar most popular?
Oscar peaked in 2006, when 3,601 American boys received the name (ranked #118 that year). Since 2006 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Oscar?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,111 newborn American boys was named Oscar. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.