ilir

Ilir is a male given name of Albanian origin. It derives from Illyrian, the ancient inhabitants of the western Balkans, and it is used to evoke Illyrian heritage. The name is common in Albania, Kosovo, and among Albanian-speaking communities in neighboring regions and the diaspora, where it appears both as a standalone given name and in compound forms.

In Albanian, Ilir functions as an ethnonymic term tied to Illyrian heritage and to the historical Illyrian civilizations mentioned in classical sources. The root of the name is linked to Illyria, and the form Ilir has remained in continuous use in modern times. The feminine form is not standardized in Albanian, though various feminine variants have appeared in cultural or informal usage.

Notable individuals with the given name include Ilir Meta (born 1969), an Albanian politician who served as President of Albania from 2017 to 2022, and Ilir Beqaj (born 1967), an Albanian physician and politician who has held ministerial positions. The name is widely used among Albanians in the Balkans and in the diaspora, reflecting a continuity of Illyrian heritage in contemporary naming practice.