Ossian is an

Anglicised Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...

form of the

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

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 of ...

'' and the

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

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

byname An epithet (, ), also byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) known for accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, di ...

constructed from the element ''os'' ("stag"). Another Anglicised form of ''Oisín'' is ''

Osian Osian or Osiyan may refer to: * Osian art fund, an arts fund started in Mumbai (2010). *Osian, Jodhpur, a city in Rajasthan, India * Osiyan, Unnao, a village in Unnao district, Uttar Pradesh, India * Osian (name), a name common in Wales, derived fr ...

''. ''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, known as the "translator" of the Ossian cycle of epic poem ...

(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 t ...

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 Voivodesh ...

'', ''

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...

'', and ''

Selma Selma may refer to: Places * Selma, Algeria *Selma, Nova Scotia, Canada *Selma, Switzerland, village in the Grisons United States: *Selma, Alabama, city in Dallas County, best known for the Selma to Montgomery marches *Selma, Arkansas *Selma, Cal ...

''—were enthusiastically adopted in

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...

in the nineteenth century. The specific adoption of ''Ossian'' in

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of 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 Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

. 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 (1849–1914), Swedish politician and lawyer *

Ossian Brown Ossian Brown (born 3 April 1969, London, England) 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 deat ...

, 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 musician, organiser within modern Druidry, artisan jeweler and writer. He is the founder and leader of the Cerchio Druidico It ...

(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 Ossian Bingley Hart (January 17, 1821 – March 18, 1874) was the tenth Governor of the U.S. state of Florida, and the first governor of Florida who was born in the state. Born in Jacksonville to Isaiah Hart, one of the city's founders, he was ...

(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 of America, at the New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, pr ...

(1856–1920), founder of

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America (colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Mu Alpha, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "w ...

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 ...

(1855–1931), American landscape designer * Ossian Skiöld (1889–1961), Swedish hammer thrower *

Ossian Smyth Ossian Smyth is an Irish Green Party politician who has served as a Minister of State since July 2020. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency since 2020. Smyth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from Trin ...

, 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 h ...

(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 A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politi ...

(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'' (1763), and later combined under t ...

, 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

* * * {{refend English-language masculine given names Danish masculine given names Irish masculine given names Scandinavian masculine given names Scottish masculine given names Swedish masculine given names