Bjelovar (Hungarian: Belovár, German: Bellowar, Czech: Bělovar or Bělovár, Kajkavian: Belovar, Latin: Bellovarium) is a city in the central Croatia, the administrative centre of Bjelovar-Bilogora County and bishoporic seat of the Diocese of Bjelovar-Križevci.

In the 2021 census, its population was 36,316.

The origin of the modern name Bjelovar is a topic of debate; however, a prominent theory posits that the name is derived from the concept of "white land", a term historically used to describe land that was challenging to cultivate. Older records of names like Belublathya or Bjeloblaće (i.e. "white mud"), indicate this possibility.

The name of the city itself consists of the Croatian adjective bijel, meaning 'white', added to the Hungarian word vár or város, which roughly translates to 'city' or 'fortress'.

The name of a settlement similar to Bjelovar is mentioned several times in various historical records. In a letter dating to 13 April 1465, Belovarc (Belowarcz) was mentioned by the bans Emeric Zápolya and Nicholas of Ilok, addressed to the archbishop of Zagreb, about the return of said property, and in the archbishops reply to their letter.

In 1473, in a letter, King Matthias Corvinus gifted the properties of so-called "Belublathy" to several nobles.

In other documents from that period, the names Belowarcz, Beloblatje, and Bjeloblaće are mentioned. The same names are also mentioned around the years 1579 to 1611, where a small fortress or schloss was built along the Bjelovacka to defend against oncoming Turkish invasions. This fortress is recorded on various maps as a fortress: Belouac, Belouax, and Wellovar.

In 1756, with the establishment of the modern city and its subsequent promotion to the military center of the Varaždin Generalate, which was commanded by Baron Philipp Lewin von Beck. Bjelovar was founded and named as Novi Varaždin (lit. 'New Varaždin'), which the local population did not accept. Beck ordered that those who do not accept the name Novi Varaždin be punished.