Lazar

Meaning of Lazar

As a masculine appellation derived from the Hebrew Elʿāzār, meaning “God has helped,” Lazar entered the Late Greek corpus as Lazaros before diffusing into Slavic languages, where it remains especially prevalent in Serbian and Bulgarian contexts; in Russian it is rendered lah-ZAHR (/lɑˈzɑr/) and in English as LAY-zar (/leˈzɑr/). Its principal historical association lies with the New Testament figure Lazarus of Bethany, whose celebrated resurrection narrative has long conferred on the name connotations of renewal and divine benevolence, while medieval Europe witnessed the founding of the Order of Saint Lazarus, reinforcing its charitable and hospitaller resonance. In the United States, Lazar has maintained a modest yet consistent presence, registering between twenty-one and thirty annual occurrences from 2022 to 2024—ranked between 918th and 894th—suggesting a gradual revival among anglophone parents in search of an appellation that marries historical depth with cross-cultural distinctiveness. Consequently, Lazar occupies a unique position in contemporary naming conventions, appealing to those who prize an etymologically rich, spiritually resonant name with enduring philanthropic associations.