Oswald

Oswald is an Old English name composed of the elements os, meaning "god" (specifically referring to a divine or supernatural being), and weald, meaning "power" or "rule," giving the overall sense of "divine power" or "god-ruler." The name was borne by Saint Oswald of Northumbria, a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon king and martyr who spread Christianity in northern England, making the name widely venerated in medieval Britain. It remained in use throughout the Middle Ages and was revived modestly in the nineteenth century along with other Old English names. Related forms include the Old Norse cognate Ásvaldr and the Latinized Oswaldus, and the name shares its first element with Osric, Osbert, and Oswin.