Ossian is an

Anglicised Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...

form of the Irish ''

Oisín Oisín (), Osian, Ossian ( ), or anglicized as Osheen ( ) was regarded in legend as the greatest poet of Ireland, a warrior of the Fianna in the Ossianic or Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. He is the demigod son of Fionn mac Cumhaill and ...

'' and the

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...

''Oisein''. The latter names are derived from a

byname An epithet (, ), also a byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) commonly accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a real or fictitious person, place, or thing. It is usually literally descriptive, as in Alfred the Great, Suleima ...

constructed from the element ''os'' ("stag"). Another Anglicised form of ''Oisín'' is '' Osian''. ''Ossian'' was one of several names popularised by the romantic works of

James Macpherson James Macpherson ( Gaelic: ''Seumas MacMhuirich'' or ''Seumas Mac a' Phearsain''; 27 October 1736 – 17 February 1796) was a Scottish writer, poet, literary collector, and politician. He is known for the Ossian cycle of epic poems, which he ...

(died 1796), composer of so-called

Ossianic Ossian (; Irish Gaelic/Scottish Gaelic: ''Oisean'') is the narrator and purported author of a cycle of epic poems published by the Scottish poet James Macpherson, originally as ''Fingal'' (1761) and '' Temora'' (1763), and later combined under ...

poetry. In consequence, it and other Ossianic names—such as ''

Malvina Malvina is a feminine given name derived from the Scottish Gaelic ''Mala-mhìn'', meaning "smooth brow". It was popularized by the 18th century Scottish poet James Macpherson. Other names popularised by Macpherson became popular in Scandinavia o ...

'', ''Minona'', ''

Orla Orla may refer to: Places *Orla, Missouri, USA *Orla, Texas, USA *Orla, Jharkhand, India *Orla, Podlaskie Voivodeship (north-east Poland), a village **Gmina Orla, a commune centred on the village * Orla, Krotoszyn County in Greater Poland Voivodes ...

'', ''

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

'', and '' Selma''—were enthusiastically adopted in

Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...

in the nineteenth century. The specific adoption of ''Ossian'' in Denmark does not appear to have been a direct result of the works of Macpherson, however, but owes its popularity there as an import from Sweden. In this way ''Ossian'' is similar to the Ossianic names ''Oscar'' and ''Selma'' which were introduced into Denmark by Swedish immigrants. Fellows-Jensen (2006) pp. 134–136.

People with the name

Ossian Berger Ossian Berger (13 February 1849 – 28 December 1914) was a Swedish politician and lawyer. He was the minister of justice from 1902 to 1905 and member of the Riksdag (parliament) from 1907 to 1912. Early life and education Berger was born in Ny ...

(1849–1914), Swedish politician and lawyer *

Ossian Brown Ossian Brown (born 3 April 1969) is an English musician and artist, most notable for being a member of the groups Coil and Cyclobe. He joined Coil in 1999 and remained with them until the band's cessation following the death of singer John B ...

(born 1969), English musician and artist *

Ossian D'Ambrosio Ossian D'Ambrosio (born 18 September 1970 as Luigi D'Ambrosio), also known simply as Ossian, is an Italian Heavy metal music, heavy metal musician, organiser within Druidry (modern), modern Druidry, Art jewelry, artisan jeweler and writer. He is t ...

(born 1970), Italian modern Druid, musician and jeweler *

Ossian Donner Ossian Donner (24 March 1866 – 2 August 1957) was a Finnish industrialist, engineer and diplomat. Biography Donner founded the wool mill in Hyvinkää and served as CEO of the United Wool Factory until 1918. He built a house on Mauritzgatan ...

(1866–1957), Finnish industrialist, engineer, senator and diplomat * Ossian B. Hart (1821–1874), tenth Governor of Florida, lawyer and Florida Supreme Court justice *

Ossian Everett Mills Ossian Everett Mills (February 16, 1856 – December 26, 1920) was the founder of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity at the New England Conservatory of Music in 1898. Early life Mills was born in Thompson Connecticut on February 16, 1856. H ...

(1856–1920), founder of

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (legally Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha, PMA, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity for men with a special interest ...

fraternity *

Ossian Ray Ossian Ray (December 13, 1835 – January 28, 1892) was a United States representative from New Hampshire. Early years Ray was born in Hinesburg, Vermont and his family moved to Irasburg, Vermont when he was young. He attended the public school ...

(1835–1892), American politician *

Ossian Cole Simonds Ossian Cole Simonds (November 11, 1855 – November 20, 1931), often known as O. C. Simonds, was an American landscape designer. He preferred the term 'landscape gardener' to that of 'landscape architect'. A number of Simonds' works are listed o ...

(1855–1931), American landscape designer *

Ossian Skiöld Ossian Esaias Skiöld (22 June 1889 – 22 August 1961) was a Swedish hammer thrower who competed at three Olympic Games. Biography Skiöld's first Olympics were the 1924 Summer Olympics, where he finished fifth in the men's hammer throw. ...

(1889–1961), Swedish hammer thrower *

Ossian Smyth Ossian Smyth (born 1971/1972) is an Irish Green Party politician who served as a Minister of State from July 2020 to January 2025. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 2020 to 2024. Smyth holds a Bachelor of Arts ...

, Irish Green Party politician *

Ossian Sweet Ossian Sweet ( /ˈɒʃən/ ''OSH-ən''; October 30, 1895 – March 20, 1960) was an African-American physician in Detroit, Michigan. He is known for being charged with murder in 1925 after he and his friends used armed self-defense against a hos ...

(1895–1960), African-American physician and one of the defendants in the Sweet Trials *

Ossian Wuorenheimo Ossian Wuorenheimo (until 1906 Bergbom) (3 December 1845, Viborg – 13 June 1917, Helsinki) was a Finnish politician. He was a member of the Senate of Finland The Senate of Finland (; ) combined the functions of Cabinet (government), cabi ...

(1845–1917), Finnish politician and member of the Senate of Finland

Fictional people with the name

Ossian Ossian (; Irish Gaelic/Scottish Gaelic: ''Oisean'') is the narrator and purported author of a cycle of epic poems published by the Scottish poet James Macpherson, originally as ''Fingal'' (1761) and ''Temora (poem), Temora'' (1763), and later c ...

, narrator and purported author of a cycle of epic poems composed by the Scottish poet James Macpherson from 1760 *

(also spelt ''Ossian'' in English), in Irish mythology the greatest poet of Ireland and a warrior

Citations

References

* * * {{Given name English-language masculine given names Masculine given names Danish masculine given names Irish masculine given names Scandinavian masculine given names Scottish masculine given names Swedish masculine given names