How to say it
XA · vi · er
ˈzeɪ.vi.ɚ
Masculine
Xavier
New house
What it means
Basque place name from Etxeberria ('new house'), shortened to Xavier through Spanish. Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), the Jesuit missionary, gave the name its global Catholic reach.
Xavier comes from a Basque place name, Etxeberria ('new house'), the village where Saint Francis Xavier was born. Through Spanish it became Javier (or Xavier in older spelling), and as a given name it spread with the Catholic Church via the saint's missionary footprint. Francis Xavier (1506-1552) was a co-founder of the Jesuits and the first Catholic missionary to Japan, India, and parts of Indonesia. The name carried particular weight in Spanish and Portuguese colonial territories. X-Men's Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy) gave it modern pop-culture anchor. It's been in the US top 100 since 2002. Common shorts: Xav, Xavi.
How to spell Xavier
The standard spelling is Xavier. Common variants include Javier, Xabier, Xavi, but Xavier is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #68 in 2007, currently #108 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
ZAY-vee-er in standard US English; HA-vee-er for the Spanish Javier; sha-vee-AY in French. The X is pronounced as Z, H, or SH depending on the tradition.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Saint Francis Xavier Co-founder of the Jesuits, first Catholic missionary to Japan and India
- Professor Charles Xavier Marvel's Professor X, leader of the X-Men
Spelling variants
- Javier
- Xabier
- Xavi
Names with the same feeling
See Xavier from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Xavier mean?
- Basque place name from Etxeberria ('new house'), shortened to Xavier through Spanish. Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), the Jesuit missionary, gave the name its global Catholic reach.
- What does Xavier mean in Basque?
- In Basque, Xavier means "New house." Xavier comes from a Basque place name, Etxeberria ('new house'), the village where Saint Francis Xavier was born. Through Spanish it became Javier (or Xavier in older spelling), and as a given name it spread with the Catholic Church via the saint's missionary footprint. Francis Xavier (1506-1552) was a co-founder of the Jesuits and the first Catholic missionary to Japan, India, and parts of Indonesia. The name carried particular weight in Spanish and Portuguese colonial territories. X-Men's Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy) gave it modern pop-culture anchor. It's been in the US top 100 since 2002. Common shorts: Xav, Xavi.
- How do you pronounce Xavier?
- Xavier is pronounced ˈzeɪ.vi.ɚ. Say it as XA-vi-er, with the stress on the "xa" syllable.
- How do you spell Xavier?
- The standard spelling is Xavier. Common spelling variants include Javier, Xabier, Xavi.
- Is Xavier a boy or girl name?
- Xavier is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Xavier?
- Xavier ranked #108 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.