The name behind the gold: How a formal trophy became ‘Oscar’

The Academy Awards may be the official title, but the world knows them as the Oscars. This nickname—now more iconic than the award itself—is steeped in Hollywood lore. Here’s the story behind the name.

The Official Name vs the Nickname: The formal name is the Academy Awards of Merit, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The word “Oscar” was never part of the original title when the awards began in 1929. It started as an informal nickname for the gold statuette and only later became widely adopted. (wikipedia)

The Margaret Herrick Story: The most widely accepted origin credits Margaret Herrick, a librarian (and later executive director) at the Academy. In the 1930s, she reportedly said the statuette looked like her uncle Oscar. Staff members began repeating the joke, and the nickname slowly caught on inside the Academy offices. (academy awards official website)

A Journalist Helped Popularise It: Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky is often credited with bringing the term into print. In 1934, he used the word “Oscar” in a newspaper column while covering the awards. Once it appeared in media coverage, the nickname spread quickly among the public and the film industry. (wikipedia)

Other Competing Theories: There are alternative claims too. Actress Bette Davis once said she named the statuette Oscar because its backside reminded her of her husband, whose nickname was Oscar. Others claimed Academy members used the term casually even earlier. None of these stories are fully proven, but they add to the legend. (wikipedia)

When the Academy Made It Official: For several years, the Academy itself did not formally use the nickname. That changed in 1939, when AMPAS officially adopted “Oscar” as the recognized nickname for the award. From then on, it became part of the ceremony’s branding and global identity. (wikipedia)

Why the Name Stuck: “Oscar” is short, friendly, and easy to say, perfect for headlines and conversations. The approachable nickname helped humanize a formal industry award and made it more culturally memorable. Today, winning an Academy Award is prestigious but “winning an Oscar” is iconic. (academy awards official website)