Where does “Oskar” come from?
Oskar (Estonian) comes from Swedish öskar, from English oscar, from Middle Irish Oscar, from Middle Irish cara, from Old Irish carae, from Proto-Celtic karants, from Proto-Indo-European kéh₂ros, from Proto-Indo-European keh₂- — to desire, wish.
Ancestry of “Oskar”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | öskar | a bailer; a tub to pour out water from a boat |
| 2 | English | oscar | Astronotus ocellatus, a cichlid fish, native to... |
| 3 | Middle Irish | Oscar | — |
| 4 | Middle Irish | cara | friend; relative |
| 5 | Old Irish | carae | friend; relative, kinsman; second-person singular... |
| 6 | Proto-Celtic | karants | friend |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kéh₂ros | loved; dear |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | keh₂- | to desire, wish |