Ilar as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ilar

What is the meaning of the name Ilar ?

The baby name Ilar is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced Welsh: /ˈiːlar/ (EE-lar); English: /ˈɪlər/ (IH-lər).

Ilar is Welsh in Origin.

Ilar is the Welsh masculine form of Latin Hilarius, ultimately from Greek hilaros, meaning “cheerful, merry.” The name appears in medieval Welsh tradition through Saint Ilar, often identified with or linked to Hilary of Poitiers; the Ceredigion village of Llanilar (“church of Ilar”) reflects this dedication. The name occurred sporadically in historical Welsh records, then saw modest revival alongside 19th–20th century Welsh cultural nationalism. It remains uncommon but recognizably traditional in Wales.

Related forms abound across Europe: English Hilary/Hillary (once chiefly male in English), French Hilaire, Italian Ilario and Ilaria, Spanish Hilario and Hilaria, Catalan Hilari, Portuguese Hilário, Romanian Ilarie, and Greek and Slavic Ilarion/Illarion (notably borne by early monks and bishops such as St. Hilarion the Great). Breton also preserves Sant Ilar for the saint. Welsh has no distinct feminine equivalent; the nearest in use is the Anglicized Hilary.

⚙ Ilar is extremely rare. Across 12 countries, we found just 18 recorded uses of it.