Nizar

Nizar is an Arabic given name used primarily among Arabic-speaking communities and in the wider Muslim world. It is most commonly encountered as a male name, though spellings vary in English transliteration (for example, Nizār or Nazar). The name has appeared across history and culture in various contexts.

Notable individuals named Nizar include Nizar Qabbani (1923–1998), a Syrian poet renowned for his romantic and political verse and widely regarded as one of the most important Arab poets of the 20th century. The name has been borne by other writers, politicians, and public figures across the Arab world.

In religious history, Nizar is associated with the Nizari branch of Ismaili Shia Islam, named after Imam Nizar ibn al-Mustansir. After the death of the Fatimid Caliph al-Mustansir Billah in 1094, a succession dispute led to a split; Nizaris supported Nizar's line and formed the Nizari Ismaili community. The Nizaris were historically noted for a network of fortresses and, in popular history, for the Order of Assassins; today the Nizari Ismailis form a global community led by the Aga Khan.

Today, the name Nizar remains common in many Arab and Muslim-majority societies, continuing to be used in various cultures and languages. It also appears in literature and media as a personal given name.