Pilar is the Spanish word for "pillar" — referring specifically to Our Lady of the Pillar (Nuestra Señora del Pilar), the patroness of Aragon and the Hispanic world. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint James the Greater in Zaragoza atop a marble pillar in 40 CE.
Pilar is one of the most distinctive Spanish girl names — short, strong, with deep religious roots. The character Pilar in Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940) is one of the most memorable women in American literature. Pilar's feast day in Spain (October 12) coincides with Spain's National Day.
Pilar reduces to nine — the number of rooted upright strength.