bukar

Bukar is a male given name and, less commonly, a surname among Hausa-speaking populations in West Africa. The name is a Hausa variant of Abubakar (Abu Bakr), reflecting Islamic influence in the region.

As with other African adaptations of Arabic names, Bukar is commonly used among communities in northern Nigeria, Niger, and neighboring areas such as northern Cameroon and Chad.

In Nigeria, Bukar is widely encountered as a first name and is often combined with a family name to form full names.

Notable individuals named Bukar include Bukar Abba Ibrahim, a Nigerian politician who has held high office.

Variants and related names include Abubakar, Abakar, Bakr, Bakar, and Abu Bakr. Etymologically, the root is Arabic Abū Bakr, traditionally understood as “father of Bakr”; Bakr itself means “young camel.” The name is part of a broader set of given names used across Muslim communities in the region and beyond.