Xavier

ex-ZAY-vee-er or ZAY-vee-er
Basque
"new house"

Xavier Origin and Meaning

The name Xavier is a boy's name of Arabic, Basque origin meaning "new house".

Xavier originated is use as a given name after Saint Francis Xavier, cofounder of the Jesuit order, who got his name from the Spanish-Basque village where he was born. His birthplace was Javier, the name of which was derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria, meaning "castle" or "new house."

Many Americans pronounce the initial X, as in ex-ZAY-vee-er, but it's equally accepted to pronounce the name ZAY-vee-er, closer to the French pronunciation.

Today's parents are beginning to reassess Xavier, and it's as popular now as it's ever been. Xavier is one of the only X names most people know and use, often as a middle name following Francis, as in Saint Francis Xavier.

Xavier was chosen for their sons by Donnie Wahlberg and Tilda Swinton—as well as for the middle name of Larenz Tate's son Miles and Kim Fields' Quincy.

The Spanish classic Javier, pronounced HAH-vee-ay, has come into greater prominence via Oscar-winning Javier Bardem.

Trivia note: the X-men comics introduced the kree8if spelling Xzavier.

# 105 in the US

Xavier Rank in US Top 1000

# 139 on Nameberry

Xavier Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Xavier Popularity

Famous People Named Xavier

  • Xavier Cortada
    American painter
  • Xavier Hernandez Creus
    Spanish soccer player
  • Xavier Roberts
    American businessman; creator of Cabbage Patch Kids
  • Xavier Rhodes
    American NFL football player
  • Xavier Rudd
    Australian singer songwriter
  • Xavier Atencio
    American animator for the Disney Company
  • Xavier Adibi
    American football player
  • Xavier Henry
    American basketball player
  • Xavier Herbert
    Australian writer
  • Xavier Dolan
    Canadian actor and filmmaker
  • Xavier Leroux
    French composer
  • Xavier Silas
    American basketball player
  • Xavier Samuel
    Australian actor
  • Xavier Bettel
    Prime Minister of Luxembourg
  • Xavier Alexander Wahlberg (b. 1993)
    son of actor Donnie Wahlberg
  • Xavier Swinton Byrne (b. 1997)
    son of actors Tilda Swinton and John Byrne; twin of sister Honor
  • Xavier Musk (b. 2004)
    son of business mogul Elon Musk; twin of brother Griffin
  • Xavier Henry Nady VII (b. 2008)
    son of baseball player Xavier Nady VI
  • Xavier Zechariah Wade (b. 2013)
    son of basketball player Dwyane Wade
  • Myles Xavier Tate (b. 2006)
    son of actor Larenz Tate
  • William Xavier Schur (b. 2008)
    son of J.J. Philbin and Michael Schur; grandson of TV personality Regis Philbin
  • Quincy Xavier Morgan (b. 2013)
    son of actors Kim Fields and Christopher Morgan
  • Saint Francis Xavier
    Spanish missionary; cofounder of the Jesuit order

Xavier in Pop Culture

  • Professor Charles Xavier
    character in the X,Men series
  • Xavier
    character in "Matched" by Ally Condie
  • Xavier Lionfang
    character in video game "AdventureQuestWorlds"
  • Xavier Daniels
    a minor villain on TV's "One Tree Hill"
  • Xavier Dolls
    Shamier Anderson's character on "Wynonna Earp"
  • Jack Xavier Bass
    character onTV series 'Gossip Girl'
  • Can be pronounced Xah
    vee,ay or Zah,vee,ay, mostly in French speaking places
  • Xavier Benedict
    character in Jose Stirling series of "Benedict Brothers"