Arthur vs Oscar
Arthur and Oscarcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #4 and Oscar #9 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Arthur was ranked #11 and Oscar #20 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Oscar #34 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #19 and Oscar #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Oscar #22 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Oscar #31 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #83 and Oscar #51 among boys in Norway.
Arthur and Oscar over time
Arthur and Oscar appear together in 6 published lists, across 178 years of shared records. Oscar held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Arthur in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Oscar reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Arthur in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2018, Arthur moved ahead of Oscar in England and Wales · Boys — #19 and #8 the year before became #7 and #9.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Arthur and Oscar changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1969 and 2025, ending at #57 and #31.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Arthur and Oscar averaged 55.9 places apart, ending at #4 and #9.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Oscar were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 72 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #83 and #51.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Arthur #11 in 2023, Oscar #11 in 2022.
List by list
Norway · Boys72 shared years, 1945–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Oscar in 48.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #74 in 2020, Oscar #35 in 2013.
The order changed in 1983: Oscar moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #429 and #546; by 1983 that had become #434 and #367.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #83, Oscar #51.
Republic of Ireland · Boys38 shared years, 1969–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Oscar in 31.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Oscar #30 in 2021.
The order changed in 1998: Oscar moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #224 and #261; by 1998 that had become #280 and #150.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Oscar #31.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Oscar in 22.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Oscar #7 in 2013.
The order changed in 2018: Arthur moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #19 and #8; by 2018 that had become #7 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Oscar #9.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Oscar in 13.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Oscar #24 in 2014.
The order changed in 2018: Arthur moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #42 and #36; by 2018 that had become #21 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Oscar #34.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Arthur held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Oscar in 8.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #11 in 2023, Oscar #11 in 2022.
The order changed in 2023: Arthur moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #12 and #11; by 2023 that had become #11 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Arthur #11, Oscar #20.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 2017–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Oscar in 8.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #18 in 2024, Oscar #17 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #19, Oscar #17.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Arthur | Oscar |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Possibly 'deer friend' (Irish), or possibly derived from an Old English/Old Norse name meaning 'god spear' — the origin is genuinely disputed. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Disputed — possibly Irish, possibly Old English/Old Norse |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ˈɑskər/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Art, Artie | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #17 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin, while Oscar is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Irish, possibly Old English/Old Norse origin.
- Arthur and Oscar both have 2 syllables.
- Arthur's recorded meaning differs from Oscar's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Oscar a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Arthur
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #153 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Oscar
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #263 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys