Xavier Name Meaning

Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Xavier.

Xavier is a name of Basque origin meaning "new house" or "castle." Saint Francis Xavier, a Jesuit missionary, was given this name in honor of the Spanish-Basque village where he was born. This village was called Javier stemming from the word Xabier, which also means “new house.”

Xavier is a popular choice in the US, one of the few common names that begin with an "X". It's a versatile, well-known (yet not overly used) name that's most often given to boys.

In the US, Xavier is typically pronounced as though it starts with a "Z," like ZAY-vee-ur. It is also less commonly pronounced with the "X" as in Egs-zay-vee-ur. In other parts of the world, the name is pronounced as though it begins with an "H," more like HAH-vee-yay or Hah-vee-air.

  • Origin: The name Xavier is of Spanish origins meaning "new house" and "castle."
  • Gender: Xavier is commonly given as a boy's name.
  • Pronunciation: ZAY-vee-yer

Editor's Note

Although many baby names are separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.

Xavier baby name

How Popular Is the Name Xavier?

In 1948, the name Xavier arrived in the 890th spot on the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 boy names chart. It remained in the top 1,000, making a steady climb in popularity until 2001 when it hit the top 100 baby names at number 94.

Since then, Xavier has continued to rise and fall within the top 100 names for boys. Its peak years for were 2007 and 2009 when it sat at 68th place. In 2021 and 2022, Xavier ranked as the 100th most popular baby name for boys but fell slightly to number 105 in 2023.

Name Variations

Variants of the name Xavier include:

  • Javier (Spanish)
  • Xabier (Spanish)
  • Xzavier (American)
  • Zavier (American)

Similar Names

Other names to consider if you like Xavier:

  • Elijah
  • Gabriel
  • Hayden
  • Isaiah
  • Julian
  • Noah
  • Orwell
  • Paxton
  • Quinn
  • Sawyer
  • Silas
  • Zayden
  • Zion

Here are some other names that start with X:

  • Xael
  • Xaiden
  • Xander
  • Xaviel
  • Xavi
  • Xavian
  • Xavion
  • Xayden
  • Xion
  • Xever

Common Nicknames for Xavier

Xavier offers a host of great nicknames depending on who you pronounce it. For the American pronunciation (sounds like it starts with "Z"), nicknames include:

  • X/Z
  • Zay
  • Xavi/Zavi
  • Xave/Zave
  • Avi

For the "H" pronunciation (most commonly spelled "Javier"), nicknames include:

  • Havi/Javi
  • Avi

Suggested Sibling Names

Potential sibling names for Xavier could be: 

  • Alia
  • Beatrix
  • Isla
  • Eden
  • Lily
  • Jaden
  • Joshua
  • Kaden
  • Kai
  • Maddox
  • Marco
  • Niall
  • Poppy
  • Rex
  • Tess
  • Vin
  • Violet
  • Zoe

Famous People Named Xavier

Here is a list of famous people with the name Xavier:

  • Xavier Adibi, American NFL player
  • Xavier Abraham, Spanish poet
  • Xavier Abril, Peruvian poet
  • Xavier Baez, Mexican footballer
  • Xavier Becerra, US Secretary of Health and Human Services
  • Xavier Bertoni, French freestyle skier
  • Xavier Cortada, American eco-artist
  • Xavier Davis, American jazz pianist
  • Xavier Dolan, Canadian actor and filmmaker
  • Xavier Rudd, Australian musician
  • Xavier Samuel, Australian actor

More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: 

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Sources
Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Popularity of Name Xavier. Social Security Administration. 2024.

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