Behind the Name: Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Xavier

XAVIER

GENDER: Masculine

USAGE: English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, Spanish (Archaic)

PRONOUNCED: ZAY-vee-ər (English), ZAY-vyər (English), ig-ZAY-vee-ər (English), za-VYAY (French), sha-VYER (Portuguese) [key]

Meaning & History

Derived from the Basque place name Etxaberri meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). 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.

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