Oswald
Boy name · #2146 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Oswald? In official American birth records, Oswald has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Oswald is currently the #2146 boy name in the United States — 67 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3982, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 26,866 boys born in 2025 was named Oswald.
Babies named Oswald per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Oswald first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 9 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1916, when 107 boys were named Oswald — good for #552 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Oswald against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Oswald in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Oswald is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Oswald will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Oswald is most common
State-level data for Oswald is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Oswald
Statistically, parents drawn to Oswald tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Harland, Orrin, Elwood, Orin, and Omer.
HarlandOrrinElwoodOrinOmerCrawfordCasimirSylvan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Oswald | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 67 | #2145 |
| 2024 | 70 | #2120 |
| 2023 | 65 | #2188 |
| 2022 | 55 | #2493 |
| 2021 | 54 | #2464 |
| 2020 | 39 | #2980 |
| 2019 | 42 | #2897 |
| 2018 | 41 | #2893 |
| 2017 | 38 | #3071 |
| 2016 | 36 | #3161 |
| 2015 | 26 | #3982 |
| 2014 | 27 | #3787 |
| 2013 | 19 | #4804 |
| 2012 | 14 | #6001 |
| 2011 | 18 | #4983 |
| 2010 | 21 | #4517 |
| 2009 | 19 | #4922 |
| 2008 | 14 | #6070 |
| 2007 | 20 | #4640 |
| 2006 | 18 | #4865 |
| 2005 | 17 | #4824 |
| 2004 | 25 | #3636 |
| 2003 | 23 | #3732 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7055 |
| 2001 | 24 | #3512 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Oswald?
In official American birth records, the name Oswald first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 9 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Oswald a popular boy name?
Oswald ranked #2146 among boys in 2025 with 67 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3982.
When was the name Oswald most popular?
Oswald peaked in 1916, when 107 American boys received the name (ranked #552 that year). Since 1916 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Oswald?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 26,866 newborn American boys was named Oswald. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.