Meaning & History
Lázár is the Hungarian form of Lazarus, a name with deep biblical roots. It derives from the Greek Lazaros, itself a Hellenized version of the Hebrew name Eleazar, which means “God has helped” (from ʾel “God” and ʿazar “to help”). In the New Testament, Lazarus of Bethany is famously raised from the dead by Jesus (John 11), which gave the name a strong association with resurrection and divine aid.
Etymology and Biblical Roots
Lázár traces its ultimate origin to the Hebrew name Eleazar, borne by several figures in the Old Testament, including a son of Aaron (Exodus 6:23). In the Greek New Testament, the form Lazaros appears for both the resurrected man and for a beggar in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16). The Latin Vulgate rendered it as Lazarus, from which the Hungarian adaptation Lázár was derived.
Cultural and Historical Use
Lázár has been used as a given name in Hungary since the Middle Ages, particularly among Christian families honoring the biblical figure. It remains a traditional, though not overly common, masculine name in modern Hungary. The pronunciation is [ˈlaːzaːr], with stress on the first long syllable.
Notable Bearers
- Lázár Lovász (19th-century Hungarian actor and theater director).
- Lázár Menyhért (a Hungarian painter known in the early 1900s).
- Several Hungarian noble families used Lázár as a given name, especially in Transylvanian records.
Related Forms
Lázár belongs to a wide European family of names derived from Lazarus or Eleazar. Cognates include Armenian Ghazar, Greek Lazaros, African English Lazarus, Biblical Latin Eleazar, and Hebrew Eliezer. The name is closely related to the Hebrew form 'El'azar found in scripture.
- Meaning: “God has helped” (ultimately from Eleazar)
- Origin: Biblical Hebrew via Greek and Latin
- Type: Given name
- Usage: Hungarian
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Lázár