Pilar
/piˈlar/noun
A given name, especially common in Spanish-speaking cultures, derived from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Pilar.
Did you know?The name comes from Our Lady of the Pillar, a Marian title linked to a tradition that the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint James the Apostle in Zaragoza, Spain, in the first century.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pī-s / *pīl-
“An uncertain ancient root associated with pressing, piling, or a mass; the precise reconstruction is debated.”
Classical Latin
Latin
pīla
“A pillar, pier, or supporting column.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
Maria de Pilari
“Mary of the Pillar, referring to the Marian shrine and tradition at Zaragoza.”
Medieval Spanish
Spanish
pilar
“A pillar or column; also used in the devotional title Nuestra Señora del Pilar.”
17th–18th Century
Spanish
Pilar
“An established feminine given name formed from the Marian title.”
Modern English
English
Pilar
“A personal name borrowed from Spanish, pronounced approximately /piˈlar/.”