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At a Glance: Name: Oslo – Meaning: most likely 'meadow of the gods' (Old Norse áss, 'god/Æsir' + ló, 'meadow'); a less-favored theory reads the first element as 'hill/ridge' – Origin: Norwegian (Old Norse) – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: OZ-loh
Oslo is a Norwegian name, pronounced OZ-loh, used for both boys and girls. You may come across the claim that it means 'the meadow at the foot of a hill,' but that's the less likely of two theories — the favored reading, from Old Norse áss ('god') and ló ('meadow'), is 'meadow of the gods.' It shows up on lists alongside bohemian, globe-trotting, and nature-inspired names.
Meaning & Origin of Oslo
Meaning: Most likely 'meadow of the gods' (old norse áss, 'god/æsir' + ló, 'meadow'); a less-favored theory reads the first element as 'hill/ridge'.
Origin: Norwegian (Old Norse).
A common claim: Oslo means 'the meadow at the foot of a hill' Actually: The more likely explanation is 'meadow of the gods' (Old Norse áss, 'god/Æsir' + ló, 'meadow'); reading the first part as 'hill/ridge' is a less-favored theory.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Oslo
Phonetic: OZ-loh IPA: /ˈɑːzloʊ/
Popularity of Oslo
Oslo has stayed rare in U.S. birth records from 2007 to 2024, reaching its high point of #1767 in 2022 with 94 babies before falling to #1922 in 2024 with 82.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 2007–2024.
Make Oslo Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Oslo, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Oslo mean?
Most likely ‘meadow of the gods’ (old norse áss, ‘god/æsir’ + ló, ‘meadow’); a less-favored theory reads the first element as ‘hill/ridge’. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Oslo)
How do you pronounce Oslo?
Oslo is pronounced OZ-loh (IPA: /ˈɑːzloʊ/).
Is Oslo a popular name right now?
Oslo is near its all-time peak (#1767 in 2022), ranked #1922 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 2007–2024.)
📊 How popular is Oslo? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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