O
Masculine
Anglo-Saxon
Meaning & History
Osweald is the Old English form of Oswald. Derived from the elements ōs "god" and weald "power", it is cognate with Old Norse Ásvaldr. The name was recorded in Anglo-Saxon England, notably in the late 9th century translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History.
Osweald declined as a given name after the Norman Conquest but experienced a revival in the 19th century alongside other medieval names. Its most famous historical namesake is Saint Oswald, a 7th-century King of Northumbria who promoted Christianity in northeastern England and was venerated as a martyr. Another notable figure is Saint Oswald of Worcester, a 10th-century bishop of Danish ancestry.
Modern variants include German Oswald, Swedish Osvald, and English diminutives like Ossie, Oz, Ozzie, and Ozzy.
Osweald declined as a given name after the Norman Conquest but experienced a revival in the 19th century alongside other medieval names. Its most famous historical namesake is Saint Oswald, a 7th-century King of Northumbria who promoted Christianity in northeastern England and was venerated as a martyr. Another notable figure is Saint Oswald of Worcester, a 10th-century bishop of Danish ancestry.
Modern variants include German Oswald, Swedish Osvald, and English diminutives like Ossie, Oz, Ozzie, and Ozzy.
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Osweald