Given name & surname
Lazar
“leper”
Lazar is a surname from Middle English, ultimately from Hebrew. It is used in English and Serbo-Croatian.
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Lazar is a variant of Lazarus. Lazarus has been associated with Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Lazar developed from Λάζαρος. In English usage, Lazar developed from אלעזר.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1931. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Lazar is a variant of Lazarus. The history of Lazarus gives this family its wider story. In biblical stories, Lazarus is associated with the man raised from the dead by Jesus.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Lazar through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 811
- 811 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2012
- 39 babies
- 2025
- 24
- #4,329 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +1%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 24 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 4,329 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 0.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 39 in 2012. In 2025, Illinois had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,192 as a first name in 2020; 6,208 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Lazar’s family of names
In English usage, Lazar developed from the Ancient Greek form Λάζαρος. Lazar has a related form in Lazarus. In Slovenian usage, Lazar has a conventional equivalent in the French form Lazare.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Lazar has relatives in 7 languages.
9 related names in 7 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Lazar
- Lazar KaganovichSoviet politician (1893–1991)
- El LissitzkySoviet artist, designer, photographer, teacher, typographer and architect (1890–1941)
- Lazar of SerbiaMedieval Serbian ruler1329–1389
- Lazar MarkovićSerbian association football playerborn 1994
- Lazar MojsovYugoslav Macedonian politician (1920– 2011)
- Lazar SamardžićSerbian-German association football playerborn 2002
- Lazar KoliševskiYugoslav Macedonian political leader (1914–2000)
- Lazar BermanRussian pianist (1930-2005)
- Lazar RistovskiSerbian actor, director, producer and writer (born 1952)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lazar, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Avel
“the life force; breath”
>99% boys
Elnathan
“God has given”
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Abran
“father of a multitude (of nations)” · “father of a multitude; father of nations”
>99% boys
Dany
“he judged” · “God is my judge”
>99% boys
Javan
“mire” · “mud man”
>99% boys
Isac
“full of laughter”
>99% boys
Ab
“father of light” · “father of the light”
>99% boys
Sampson
Sampson is a masculine given name from Hebrew. It is used in English and Middle English.
>99% boys