lazar

Lazar is a male given name used in many Slavic languages and, less commonly, a surname. It derives from the Hebrew Eleazar, meaning "God has helped," passed into Greek as Eleazar and Latin as Lazarus, with Lazar as the vernacular form in several Slavic tongues.

Religious and historical associations contribute to its recognition. Lazarus of Bethany, a figure in the New Testament whom Jesus raised from the dead, is the namesake of the English form Lazarus and has influenced name usage across Christian cultures. In Orthodox Christian practice, Lazarus Saturday marks the Saturday before Palm Sunday. In Serbian history, Prince Lazar (Lazar Hrebeljanović, c. 1329–1389) is a prominent medieval ruler and national hero; his name helped popularize the form Lazar in the region.

Notable individuals bearing the name include Lazar Kaganovich (Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich), a Soviet politician, and other Slavic figures who carried the given name. The form Lazar continues to be used in contemporary Serbia, Russia, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, and neighboring regions, both as a given name and, less often, as a surname.