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 August 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
- 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.