Osvaldo

Osvaldo is a masculine given name used in Italian and Spanish-speaking contexts. It is the Italian and Spanish form of Oswald, a Germanic name composed of the elements os meaning “God” and wald meaning “power” or “ruler.” The name spread to Latin-language regions through historical contact with Germanic and English influences, and it remains common in Italy, Spain, and many Latin American countries. Variants include Oswaldo in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking settings and Osvald in some European languages.

Notable people named Osvaldo include Osvaldo Ardiles, an Argentine footballer who was part of Argentina’s 1978 World Cup-winning team; Osvaldo Soriano, an Argentine writer and journalist; and Osvaldo Hurtado, an Ecuadorian economist and politician who served as President of Ecuador from 1981 to 1984.

The name remains in use in Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Italy, and Spain, as well as among diaspora communities, where it is often given in homage to family heritage or cultural tradition.