The first name Osman
A boy’s name from Norse meaning “a god”, “protection”, “hand”.
Pronounced /ˈɒzmən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Norse origin
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 82 boys were named Osman, making it the 474th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2021, with 91 births (#452).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Osman with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Osman at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 181 boys born in the United States were named Osman, the 1,157th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 231 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Osman in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Osman in French, German, Italian and Turkish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Osmân
- Ottoman
- Otoman
- Othoman
- Oosman
Famous people named Osman
22 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Osman IFounder of the Ottoman Empire (died 1323/4)
- Osman II16th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1618–1622)
- Osman III25th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1754–1757)
- Osman HadiBangladeshi politician and activist (1993–2025)
- Osman Nuri-Asan oğlu AqçoqraqlıCrimean Tatar writer, journalist, historian, archaeologist, ethnographer, and teacher, 1879–1938
- Austin Osman SpareEnglish artist and occultist (1886-1956)
- Osman ĐikićBosnian writer (1879-1912)
- Osman KakayEnglish association football player (born 1997)
- Osman Saleh MohammedFirst Minister of Education for Eritrea, born 1948
- Osman HadžikićBosnian-Austrian association football player, born 1996
- Osman Jama AliFormer Acting Prime Minister of Somalila, born 1941
- Osman HadžićBosnia and Herzegovina singer, born 1966
More Norse boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Osman mean?
- Osman means “a god”, “protection”, “hand” in Norse.
- What is the origin of the name Osman?
- Inherited from Middle English, from Old Norse Ásmundr, from áss (“a god”) + mund (“protection, hand”).
- How popular is the name Osman?
- In 2025, 82 boys born in England and Wales were named Osman, ranking 474th. Its peak was 2021, with 91 births.
- Is Osman a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 3,893 US babies named Osman since 1880 were boys.
- When was Osman most popular?
- 2022 in the United States, when 231 babies were named Osman, its highest rank at 977th.
- How do you pronounce Osman?
- Osman is /ˈɒzmən/, 2 syllables.
- What name is Osman a form of?
- Osman is a form of Osmond.
- What are other spellings of Osman?
- Osmân, Ottoman, Otoman, Othoman and Oosman.
- Is Osman also a surname?
- Yes. Osman is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.