Home › Baby Names Directory › Bolivar
Bolivar
How to Pronounce Bolivar
Pronounced BOL-ih-var /ˈbɒl.ɪ.vər/Low
Meaning: Bolivar is a Basque surname, from a Biscayan village called Bolibar, understood as 'mill meadow' or 'meadow by the mill,' from Basque bolu, 'mill,' and ibar, 'meadow or valley.' It became a given name largely in honor of Simon Bolivar, the general who led much of South America to independence.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Bolivar is a Basque surname from the village of Bolibar, 'mill meadow,' built from bolu, 'mill,' and ibar, 'meadow.' As a first name it almost always honors Simon Bolivar, the liberator of several South American nations, giving a landscape word a heroic charge.
It was never common in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the late nineteen-eighties. A boy named Bolivar then is in his late thirties today, usually from a Latin American family honoring the liberator.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- ★Simon Bolivar (1783-1830)Venezuelan military and political leader who freed much of South America from Spanish rule; the name honors his surname.
If you like Bolivar…
Explore names like Bolivar
Frequently Asked
What does the name Bolivar mean?
It is a Spanish and Basque surname meaning 'mill meadow,' used as a given name in honor of Simon Bolivar, the South American liberator.
How do you pronounce Bolivar?
It is said BOL-ih-var /ˈbɒl.ɪ.vər/ - three syllables, stress on the first; Spanish speakers often stress the second.
Is Bolivar a boy or girl name?
Bolivar is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Bolivar?
It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the nineteen-eighties.