A British Broadway staple faces off a classy vintage boy name in today's Baby Name Battle! Oliver and Oscar are going head to head in a tight competition that will be hard to conclude, given that both are heating up and trending worldwide, which makes them both very popular choices with plenty of appeal. Before we begin, I’d like to clarify that the results of a baby name battle in no way put one name above the other, simply that my criteria matches up with one name’s aspects more than their competitor’s. And now, let us assess the pros and cons of each name and get to the battlefield!
Oliver
Popularity in 2019: #3
Origin: Latin
Pros: With all of the emphasis on the signature British flair for boy names in particular lately, Oliver has gotten exposure thanks to the trend. This name meaning “olive tree” is darling and charming in a way that many British boy names strive to achieve, and his very popular sounds accompanying that English feel don’t hurt him either. Oliver is an addition to the widely in-demand Oliv- family, a branch (literally) on the tree of Olivias and Olives. This small select group of Oliv- names have had a boom in popularity, with Olivia shooting up to #1 in recent data. The much loved sounds of Oliver that have influenced his success primarily stem from the popularity of his sister names (I promise, I’m done with the olive tree puns...maybe.) And the beloved short form that is often an intuitive nickname for any Oliv- name, Ollie, helps Oliver as well. On the topic of sound, Oliver also has the sought-after -er ending sound that often marks a name as a contemporary possibility, even if the name itself is vintage. An example of this is the name Arthur, a name that feels totally retro but that became a trendy, modern-day boy name because of current monikers with the -er ending like Archer, Hunter, and Parker. Because Oliver has a more modern ending, he feels appropriate for a child today while retaining his classic and vintage charm. And we can’t not talk about the middle V, the ultimate power move. Zavier, Devin, and Everett have all fascinated people with the soft but powerful V, and Oliver is no exception. Oliver is also in use worldwide, giving him international recognition and making him a possibility for multicultural families. Plus, he’s literary, reinforcing the image of an adorable little boy. The book Oliver Twist paints a young Oliver in a lovely light and may have positive connotations for many expecting couples.
Cons:
Oliver is insanely popular. In the US, Oliver occupies the third spot of the top 1000, making him more popular than chart toppers like William and Lucas, both of which are notorious for being incredibly popular. Oliver is white hot trendy as well, and has shot up from #9 to #3 in a matter of just two years, so it appears he might test the staying power of name giants Liam and Noah for the position of #2 or #1 very shortly. But achieving #1 status won’t be anything new for this Latin boy name. Oliver currently holds the #1 position in 3 countries. That’s right, this is a name that is dominating in Australia, New Zealand, and England, with the numbers in Scotland playing out in his favor as well, where he ranks at #2. And he ranks in the top ten in four more countries, at #5 in Norway, #6 in Iceland, and #7 in Sweden and Denmark. He’s even crazy popular for dogs, where he ranks at #11 according to Nameberry’s statistics. In addition, his sister name, Olivia, which sounds very similar, also ranks at #1 in numerous countries including the US, which doesn’t help Oliver sound special and original. In other words, if you’re looking for something unique, or even something that won’t be in every child’s school worldwide, then Oliver is not the place to look. Unfortunately for him, there is a mounting expectation for parents to choose baby names that set their child apart, meaning that Oliver’s immense popularity will surely knock some of his points in the baby name battle. And then there’s the ending, which may only bother me. However, -liver stands out to me whenever I look at the name, and while a liver is a good organ to have, it’s not necessarily the first thought I want to have when I picture the name. Overall, I would say that Oliver’s upsides outweigh his downsides for some people, but will they appear as wonderful once Oscar gets his turn to share? Maybe, maybe not.
Oscar
Popularity in 2019: #205
Origin: Irish
Pros: Oscar hits many of the appealing points of Oliver, but drops the main complaint: popularity. Oscar has the accessible -ar ending, and plenty of positive associations that pack him with charm, and yet only ranks at #205, which appeals to parents searching to hit that “familiar but not popular” jackpot. Oscar’s literary touch is thanks to Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde who bore this name as he wrote many beloved classics that may make his name a special one for a family that enjoyed his works. Oscar Isaac, an actor famous for his roles in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, X-Men Apocalypse, and Ex Machina is a possible inspiration to parents who’ve seen the movies and take note of his name. Another famous bearer of the name Oscar that gives him a sophisticated flair is the Academy Awards, which are often dubbed “the Oscars” and have become a symbol of artistic achievement that is also a positive connection. And as Ollie is to Oliver, Ozzie is to Oscar. The nickname Ozzie is sweet and cheery, and the Z sound within makes him even more bright and energetic, perfect for a little boy.
Cons: Oscar, while he does have a handful of positive or neutral associations, he also has some negative or strange ones that may come to mind when hearing the name Oscar. The Oscar-Mayer hot dogs and weiner company is quite well-known in the US, making the name Oscar slightly reminiscent of weiners. There’s also the stingy puppet in the TV show Sesame Street. Today’s new parents likely grew up with the show and are familiar with Oscar the Grouch, an angry monster who lived in a trash can, particularly if they have children of their own who frequently watch the show. Either way, Oscar is likely to produce some odd or just flat out bad imagery and associations, which obviously doesn’t help him in this battle. In addition, try saying Oscar and Oliver out loud. Oliver’s sounds are gentler, while Oscar’s sharp SC sound is harder. It just so happens that soft sounds for boy names like Asher and Elijah are in, and more harsh sounds aren’t as stylish, making Oscar a more dated choice than Oliver sound-wise. And a lot of the appeal surrounding Oscar is as a less popular alternative to Oliver, but even there he doesn’t quite fulfill the role. Oscar does rank at a mere #205 in the US, but he snags a wild #3 in Denmark, #8 in Sweden, and #9 in England. Ranking within the Top Ten, an extremely popular and elite group, in three different countries is proof enough that Oscar is nowhere near under the radar, and will likely keep mounting in popularity across the pond as well. So, now that both sides have had their strengths and weaknesses exposed, let’s review the results!
And The Winner Is...
After a long and brutal battle, I've made my decision. I’m normally a big stickler on low popularity, but coming to the realization that Oscar, the less popular option, wasn’t even all that rare, I came to the conclusion that Oliver is popular for a reason. He’s sweet, fits with modern day trends, and comes with a very handsome and charming nickname. However, if you do live in the US and aren’t bothered by popularity internationally, Oscar is also an adorable option for you. I hope you enjoyed this battle, and leave your opinions down below.
Sincerely,
~Delphina Moon
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