Gender Masculine
Pronounced Pron. ZAY-vyər(English) ig-ZAY-vyər(English) GZA-VYEH(French) shu-vee-EHR(European Portuguese) sha-vee-EKH(Brazilian Portuguese) shə-bee-EH(Catalan)  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

Derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) who was born in a village by this name. He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries. His surname has since been adopted as a given name in his honour, chiefly among Catholics.

Related Names

VariantsXzavier, Zavier, Xavior(English) Javier(Spanish)
DiminutivesXavi(Catalan) Javi(Spanish)
Feminine FormsXavia, Xaviera, Zavia(English) Javiera(Spanish)
Other Languages & CulturesXabier, Xabi(Basque) Saveriu(Corsican) Xabier(Galician) Xaver(German) Saverio(Italian) Ksawery(Polish)
User SubmissionXavièr

Popularity

People think this name is

classic   mature   formal   upper class   urban   wholesome   strong   refined   strange   complex   serious  

Name Days

France: December 3

Images

The Vision of Francis Xavier by Giovanni Battista GaulliThe Vision of Francis Xavier by Giovanni Battista Gaulli

Categories

Entry updated June 9, 2023