Oswald: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,161

among boys · ↓33 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Oswald · -4% vs 2024

How common

1 in 25,494

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1916

107 babies

All-time total

4,407

#1,937 all-time among boys

First recorded

1880

in Social Security records

Oswald popularity over time

4,407 babies have been named Oswald since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Boys	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	101	10	–	#465
1890s	115	12	+14%	#468
1900s	141	14	+23%	#525
1910s	750	75	+432%	#530
1920s	763	76	+2%	#641
1930s	375	38	-51%	#763
1940s	243	24	-35%	#1,052
1950s	276	28	+14%	#1,195
1960s	218	22	-21%	#1,508
1970s	211	21	-3%	#1,572
1980s	210	21	0%	#1,827
1990s	183	18	-13%	#2,754
2000s	189	19	+3%	#3,592
2010s	282	28	+49%	#2,927
2020s (to 2025)	350	58	+107%	#2,128

Where Oswald is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	73	0.04	outside top 500
2027	78	0.05	outside top 500
2028	83	0.05	outside top 500
2029	87	0.05	outside top 500
2030	91	0.05	outside top 500

The story of Oswald

Oswald is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,161 in 2025 with 67 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 4,407 American babies have been named Oswald. Its peak came in 1916, when 107 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Oswald stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Oswald?

The median living Oswald is about 35 years old; half are between 9 and 60. An estimated 2,000 people named Oswald are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Oswald year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	67	#2,161
2024	70	#2,128
2023	65	#2,212
2022	55	#2,507
2021	54	#2,485
2020	39	#3,015
2019	42	#2,927
2018	41	#2,927
2017	38	#3,108
2016	36	#3,205
2015	26	#4,048
2014	27	#3,865
2013	19	#4,922
2012	14	#6,220
2011	18	#5,138
2010	21	#4,639
2009	19	#5,055
2008	14	#6,317
2007	20	#4,756
2006	18	#5,010
2005	17	#4,973
2004	25	#3,717
2003	23	#3,816
2002	9	#7,472
2001	24	#3,592
2000	20	#4,027
1995	16	#3,999
1990	24	#2,754
1985	21	#2,482
1980	19	#2,593
1975	16	#2,609
1970	27	#1,689
1965	19	#1,842
1960	26	#1,610
1955	20	#1,772
1950	25	#1,490
1945	38	#1,052
1940	18	#1,670
1935	33	#1,158
1930	71	#763
1925	84	#708
1920	80	#729
1915	92	#600
1910	29	#530
1905	13	#692
1900	9	#952
1895	13	#598
1890	12	#594
1885	5	#1,061
1880	9	#674

Famous people named Oswald

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Oswald Mosley British fascist politician (1896–1980) 19th century
2 Oswald Spengler German polymath (1880–1936) 19th century
3 Oswald Pohl German Nazi, head of the SS Main Economic and Administrative Office (1892–1951) 19th century
4 Oswald of Northumbria King of Northumbria from 634 to 641/42; Christian saint 604–642 · Medieval
5 Oswald Boelcke German World War I flying ace (1891–1916) 19th century
6 Oswald Avery Canadian-American physician 1877–1955 · 19th century
7 Oswald Veblen American mathematician (1880–1960) 19th century
8 Oswald Gracias Indian Roman Catholic Church cardinal b. 1944 · Contemporary
9 Oswald von Wolkenstein German poet, composer and diplomat 1377–1445 · Medieval
10 Oswald de Andrade Brazilian poet novelist and cultural critic 1890–1954 · 19th century
11 Oswald Achenbach German painter 1827–1905 · 19th century
12 Oswald Schmiedeberg Baltic German pharmacologist (1838–1921) 19th century
13 Oswald Külpe German structural psychologist (1862–1915) 19th century
14 Oswald Heer Swiss naturalist (1809–1883) 19th century
15 Oswald Karch German racing driver (1917–2009) Contemporary
16 Oswald Holmberg Swedish gymnast 1882–1969 · 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Oswald, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Oswald?

The median living Oswald is about 35 years old. Half of all living Oswalds are between 9 and 60 years old.

How many people named Oswald are alive today?

An estimated 2,000 people named Oswald are alive in the United States, based on 4,407 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Oswald mean?

Oswald is a masculine given name, from Old English Osƿeald, from os "god" and ƿeald "rule".

How popular is the name Oswald in 2025?

Oswald ranked #2,161 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 67 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Oswald?

4,407 babies have been named Oswald in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Oswald most popular?

Oswald peaked in 1916, when 107 newborns received the name.

Is Oswald a boy or girl name?

Oswald is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Oswald rising or falling?

Oswald is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Oswald become more popular?

Oswald is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 91 boys named Oswald in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Oswald?

Well-known people named Oswald include Oswald Mosley (politician), Oswald Spengler (philosopher), Oswald Pohl (politician).

Names like Oswald

Names that sound and feel close to Oswald: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Oswald with similar names → More names starting with O →