Meaning & History
Etymology and Origin
Iliev is a Bulgarian and Macedonian patronymic surname meaning "son of Iliya". The given name Iliya is the Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Elijah, a biblical prophet whose name originates from the Hebrew ʾEliyyahu meaning "my God is Yahweh" (see ʾel and yah).
Notable Bearers
The surname Iliev is shared by many Bulgarian athletes, particularly footballers. Notable figures include Dimitar Iliev (born 1986), who played for Levski Sofia and the Bulgarian national team; Georgi Iliev (1966–2005), a controversial businessman and football club owner; and Ilian Iliev (born 1968), a former international footballer and manager. In North Macedonia, Dejan Iliev (born 1995) is a professional footballer who represented the Macedonian national team. Beyond sports, Dimitar Iliev Popov (1927–2015) served as Prime Minister of Bulgaria in 1990–1991 after a long legal career. The name also appears in ice hockey (Georgi Iliev, born 1948) and volleyball (Hristo Iliev, born 1951).
Geographic Distribution and Variants
Inev is common in Bulgaria and North Macedonia, with the feminine form Ilieva. Cognate surnames in other languages include Serbian Ilić, Norwegian Eliassen, and English Ellis and Ellison (derived from medieval Elias).
- Meaning: Son of Iliya (Elijah)
- Origin: Patronymic from the biblical name Elijah
- Type: Surname
- Usage: Bulgarian, Macedonian
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Iliev