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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

How do you pronounce Xavier?

80 replies

BoilYerHeid · 14/02/2018 12:17

Have just seen this on another thread and as we are really struggling with boys names I'm adding it to our list.

Just wondered how you would pronounce it? I had been trying to steer clear of names with multiple pronunciations... I can think of

Zay-vee-ur (like saviour)

Zah-vee-ay (French sounding)

Does that accord with others' thoughts? I have a Scottish accent btw...

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callmekitten · 14/02/2018 16:13

Zayv-yer. I'm American. Many people I know also pronounce it Ex-zayv-yer.

PaddlingShoes · 14/02/2018 16:11

Zav ee ay

LizzieVereker · 14/02/2018 16:09

I would pronounce it Hav-ee-ay, as donthectwo people I know who are called it. And because that is how you pronounce it.

MikeUniformMike · 14/02/2018 16:09

Xavier is Javier (Have-ee-air) in Spanish.

LengendofThePneumonites · 14/02/2018 16:07

DS has a friend Xavier, its pronounced HA-VEE-AY

ItsLikeSputnik · 14/02/2018 16:07

I’m Scottish too. Many (many) years ago, there was a French student with this name at my school and he pronounced it Zah-vee-ay.

NanFlanders · 14/02/2018 16:05

Zah vee ayy

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 14/02/2018 16:01

As in 'eh' at the end rhymes with 'hay'

It's a beautiful boy's name - love it!

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 14/02/2018 15:59

Zav-EE-eh

UserSnoozer · 14/02/2018 15:50

Ex-ave-ier

UgandanKnuckles · 14/02/2018 15:44

I'm Scottish too and went to school with a girl called Xavier and she pronounced it Eks-avier... though her family were American which might have something to do with it.

OutyMcOutface · 14/02/2018 15:42

I pronounce Za/vee/er but I know some people pronounce it ex/za/ver/er.

NinonDeLenclos · 14/02/2018 15:39

He may have had a Spanish parent, or French parents who specifically called him the Spanish version. Because that is the Spanish pronunciation of Xavier. As I said X is never H in French.

TeaAddict235 · 14/02/2018 15:16

Just reading through this, and remembering how much I wanted to use this name for DS2. And DH said "it sounds too French! No way" DH is German . It's a lovely name OP, sometimes I still look at my rambunctous 18mo and imagine calling him Xavier.

lilabet2 · 14/02/2018 15:10

I would say 'Zav-ie-air' (like air) because one of my friend's kids is 'Javier' and it's pronounced like that (they're Spanish).

In the past I would have thought it was 'Zav-ie-ay'.

lemonsquisher · 14/02/2018 14:39

I know 3. All French and all pronounced Za-vee-ay. One lives in Canada and sometimes his names gets (incorrectly) pronounced X-ay-vee-ah when in the English speaking areas. I also know a Spanish Javier, pronounced as if it starts with an H.

Brokenbiscuit · 14/02/2018 14:35

Zah-vee-ay

HappyLollipop · 14/02/2018 14:31

Zay-vee-ur

BusterTheBulldog · 14/02/2018 14:28

Nope, he was defo French and many others referred to him to his face in same way. He was pretty blunt so he would have corrected us.

sirlee66 · 14/02/2018 14:09

Zay-vee-err

Wallywobbles · 14/02/2018 13:59

French here Za-vee-yay in our parts.

NinonDeLenclos · 14/02/2018 13:58

Agreed.

MoreCheerfulMonica · 14/02/2018 13:53

Insofar as any pronunciation can be wrong (they will vary with culture and language), the Ex-ay-vier and similar pronunciations are. It starts with a Z or H sound, according to language.

NinonDeLenclos · 14/02/2018 13:52

Typo ^^ I meant X not Z.

NinonDeLenclos · 14/02/2018 13:51

I know a French one, he introduced himself as have-ee-ay

Either you misheard or he's Javier (Spanish name).

Z is not pronounced H in French ever.

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