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| Pronunciation | English: /ˈɒskər/ Spanish: [ˈoskaɾ] Portuguese: [ˈɔʃkɐɾ] Italian: [ˈɔskar] German: [ˈɔskaʁ] Swedish: [ˈɔ̂sːkar] |
|---|---|
| Gender | Masculine |
| Language(s) | Old English, Irish |
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | Old English Old Norse |
| Derivation | os + thiri or os + gar |
| Meaning | "god's spear" / “Spear of the gods” or “Friend of Deer” |
| Other names | |
| Alternative spelling | Oskar |
Oscar or Oskar is a masculine given name of English [1] [2] [3] and Old Norse Origin.
The name Oscar finds its Original roots in Old English and Old Norse cultures which may be linked to the Norse Viking settlement of England. The Old English variation is derived from the elements "os" meaning "god" and "gar" meaning "spear," meaning “Gods Spear” thus combining into a powerful image of divine strength. Similarly, in Old Norse, which was a mutually intelligible language to Old English, Oscar is believed to translate to "spear of the gods," again reiterating a sense of noble valor. [4] Oscar was a popular name in England until the 1066 Norman Conquest following which some Norse and Germanic names began to become less common and gradually replaced by names such as William or Henry which were more popular among the Normans.
Later the name made its way to Ireland in which its Irish equivalent has an all together different meaning to its earlier Anglo-Norse counterparts. In Irish, the first, element os, means "deer"; the second element, car, means "loving" or "friend", thus "deer-loving one" or "friend of deer". The name is borne by a character in Irish mythology—Oscar, grandson of Fionn Mac Cumhaill, and refers to his descent from his grandmother, Sadhbh, who was enchanted into the form of a deer.[ citation needed ]
The name was popularised in the 18th century by Scottish poet James Macpherson, creator of 'Ossianic poetry'. Today the name is associated with Scandinavia because Napoleon was an admirer of Macpherson's work and gave the name to his godson, Joseph Bernadotte, who later became Oscar I, King of Sweden. [5] Consequently, at the time many Swedes were named Oscar. The name was given to more than a half-dozen members of Scandinavian royal houses. [6] Oscar was the third most popular name for males born in Sweden in 2013 [7] and is ranked 51 in terms of the most popular male names in Sweden. [8]
There is alternative speculation that it may be derived from the Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr (a personal name itself composed of the elements meaning "god" and "spear"). [9]
