Oswald
Boy name · #2146 in 2025 · Uniqueness 51/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Oswald scores 51 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Oswald is most common
Geography matters for names, and Oswald is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Oswalds were AZ (6), CA (6), OH (6), IL (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 51/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.