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Original poster

How would you pronounce...

109 replies

Babynamechangerr · 06/10/2019 03:52

Xavier?

If you saw the name Xavier written down and had to say it out loud, how would you pronounce it?

I know there are different ways to pronounce, I just want to see what the most common is.

Would be useful to know if you're British or from elsewhere (as I know this may influence pronunciation).

Thanks for your help!

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Greyhound22 · 07/10/2019 13:18

It's my dad's middle name - he's from a Mediterranean country and it's pronounced X - avier.

MrsPellegrinoPetrichor · 07/10/2019 12:55

Never mind the name,what about xylophone!!Grin

bevelino · 07/10/2019 12:11

OP, you can see there are various pronunciations depending on country of origin. None of the pronunciations discussed in this thread is incorrect.

My daughter is called Ximena and there are similar variations in pronunciation as Xavier.

Madamfrog · 07/10/2019 11:11

I am French, I live in France, all the people called Xavier or François-Xavier I know pronounce it Zav-yé, (yé = a very short yay, so Zav-yay) the stress is equal on each syllable.

FizzyGreenWater · 07/10/2019 09:29

Zav- ee - ay

FriedasCarLoad · 07/10/2019 09:28

I’ve known 5 Xaviers:

1 French: Za-vee-AY
2 white British: ZAY-vee-uh
2 black British: Ex-AY-vee-uh

I tend to assume the white British pronunciation (according to the above - I know it isn’t universally so), but then I’m white British.

ncbaaybeee · 07/10/2019 09:18

@drizzle it is a Spanish name, and in Spain we would pronounce Hav-e-ar.
In England people get confused by the X and pronounce it at as a Z

OpiesOldLady · 07/10/2019 09:02

I'd pronounce it Hav ee air

Id also pronounce xylophone as ex-why-lophone. Am i saying it wrong?

beanaseireann · 07/10/2019 09:01

As Saviour but with a Z.
I'm Irish in Ireland.

Grufallosfriends · 07/10/2019 08:54

You don't pronounce the letter F as Eff, you don't say Effun for Fun!

So why pronounce the X that way? It's Ksa vee er, not Eks a vee er.

Marinetta · 07/10/2019 08:46

I live in Catalonia where its pronounced Chab-i-er. Never seen it used in an English speaking country so my assumption would be that Xavier is Catalan and pronounce it that way.

Monday55 · 07/10/2019 08:34

Zar-Vi-Ya

20viona · 07/10/2019 08:30

Zay vee err

ilovetofu · 07/10/2019 08:29

Za vee ay

Drizzzle · 07/10/2019 08:24

Why are you pronouncing X like H?

Rabanastre · 07/10/2019 08:16

Ecks - Zay - Vee - Eyr
or
Ecks - Zay - Vee - Arr

have heard both these pronounciations for two of my friends named Xavier. one from UK, the other from Australia. The first one is also how you pronounce the Xavier from x-men movies.

Original poster
Babynamechangerr · 06/10/2019 22:33

Wow, thanks for everyone's responses, very useful to know.

OP posts:
LemonPrism · 06/10/2019 17:06

I know Xs are usually pronounced as Z but in Xmen they pronounce the X so that's always how I've thought of it

Shmithecat2 · 06/10/2019 17:06

Ha Bee Air

LemonPrism · 06/10/2019 17:05

Maybe Ha-ve-er if they were spanish

LemonPrism · 06/10/2019 17:04

Ex-ay-ve-uh

SoupDragon · 06/10/2019 16:01

Za vee air

Clettercletterthatsbetter · 06/10/2019 15:58

ZAV-ee-ay (the last syllable being half-way between hay without the h, and ‘air’)

DaveTheGhost · 06/10/2019 15:41

Zay-vee-a

TrendyNorthLondonTeen · 06/10/2019 15:38

I went to school with a girl called Xavier pronounced like "ecksavier" so that's what I automatically read it as...

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