Xavier

Revision History

loadingDate    Editor    Change Summary
6/9/2023, 2:32 PM Mike C update #114
4/25/2021, 10:07 PM Mike C update #110
11/20/2020, 10:42 PM Mike C update #109
11/16/2019, 11:04 AM Mike C update #105
2/28/2019, 2:08 PM Mike C update #102
2/12/2018, 1:19 AM Mike C update #98
7/2/2017, 10:39 PM Mike C update #95
1/10/2017, 9:56 AM Mike C update #94
7/27/2015, 11:23 PM Mike C update #90
10/10/2012, 5:50 PM Mike C update #84
2/12/2007, 1:03 AM Mike C earliest recorded revision

Gender Masculine
Usage English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, Spanish
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)

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.