Name profile

BoyPronounced American English /ˈɑs.kəɹ/; British English /ˈɒs.kə/; Italian /ˈɔs.kar/; Dutch /ˈɔs.kɑr/; French /ɔs.kaʁ/Dutch language family

Óscar

A name meaning "deer friend".

Quick answer

Óscar is a boy name meaning "deer friend".

Pronunciation: American English /ˈɑs.kəɹ/; British English /ˈɒs.kə/; Italian /ˈɔs.kar/; Dutch /ˈɔs.kɑr/; French /ɔs.kaʁ/.

GenderBoy
Meaningdeer friend
PronunciationAmerican English /ˈɑs.kəɹ/; British English /ˈɒs.kə/; Italian /ˈɔs.kar/; Dutch /ˈɔs.kɑr/; French /ɔs.kaʁ/
Language familyDutch

Meaning and history

Possibly means "deer friend", derived from Old Irish oss "deer" and carae "friend". Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name Osgar or its Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. In Irish legend Oscar was the son of the poet Oisín and the grandson of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill. This name was popularized in continental Europe by the works of the 18th-century Scottish poet James Macpherson. Napoleon was an admirer of Macpherson, and he suggested Oscar as the second middle name of his godson, who eventually became king of Sweden as Oscar I. Other notable bearers include the Irish writer and humorist Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) and the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (1907-2012).

Notes and context

Usage: english, irish, portuguese, italian, swedish, norwegian, danish, dutch, french, irish mythology