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Baby names

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Original poster

Xavier

30 replies

FizzingWhizzbee123 · 16/04/2020 15:58

I’m pretty sure I’ve already been put off this name due to pronunciation confusion but just thought I’d check how you’d pronounce it?

There’s seems

Hav-ee-ay (Spanish)

Zavier (English/French)

Ex-zavier (seems to be American/X men!)

I’m not a language expert and might have got these slightly wrong. What would you automatically say?

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Branleuse · 16/04/2020 22:41

I like it.

MrsEricBana · 16/04/2020 22:34

Za-vee-ay
Nice though makes me think of swords. Excalibur/sabre etc. This is not necessarily bad!

AvoidingRealHumans · 16/04/2020 22:31

I know 2 - 1st is pronounced Zavier and the other is Ex-zaviour.
The Ex-zaviour is hollered down the street by the mum in the most essexy essex accent and sounds dreadful.
Defo go with the Zavier pronunciation, it's a lovely name

User24689 · 16/04/2020 21:32

I know lots of them in Australia. Seems to have been a trend. All pronounced with the ex on the beginning which I think sounds a bit weird.

London91 · 16/04/2020 21:23

I love this name pronounced Xavier. It was on my list but I'm having a girl.

FloconDeNeige · 16/04/2020 21:18

Yep, the French do slightly pronounce the X, but in a more ‘ks’ way.

It’s my son’s name and he’s half French (DH is French). We pronounce it Zav-ee-ay.

peperethecat · 16/04/2020 21:01

I like it but with the Zav-ee-ay pronunciation. Ex-ay-vee-er is awful.

The French do actually pronounce the X, but only very lightly. It's like ksav-ee-ay.

EstebanTheMagnificent · 16/04/2020 21:01

The usual English pronunciation is to rhyme more or less with ‘saviour’.

SleepingStandingUp · 16/04/2020 19:11

Zay-via in our house. Italian friend says Za vee air

Original poster
FizzingWhizzbee123 · 16/04/2020 19:04

Thank you. This has been helpful. Maybe I won’t strike it off the list just yet. I could live with the Zavier/Ex-zavier confusion as I don’t mind either pronunciation and they aren’t worlds apart. I’d prefer not to get Hav-ee-ay, as we have no Spanish connection and it’s a very different sound to me, but I expect that’s the least likely pronunciation to come up in a English city.

OP posts:
YesILikeItToo · 16/04/2020 17:16

I know one. Everyone calls him Jack.

givemeacall · 16/04/2020 17:13

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TheMandalorian · 16/04/2020 17:12

Zavier
I like it.

emmathedilemma · 16/04/2020 17:10

Zavier

BillieEilish · 16/04/2020 16:48

I know dozens in Spain.

It is Have ee air (Xavier or Javier)

Shortened to

Have ee (Javi, Xavi)

If you want to be familiar.
It is incredibly common, probably every 3rd boy where I live in Valencia.
.

MitziK · 16/04/2020 16:43

Without being told first, I'd say it depends upon perceived first language of the owner. Spanish speaking - Hav-i-ay, English speaking - Zai-vi-er. American Child accompanied by parents who clearly belong to the I'm A Geek and Proud (perhaps because they're at a comicon at the time) - X-ai-vi-er.

Whatsyourflava · 16/04/2020 16:40

I love it. It’s not that unusual these days so problems with probounciation will become less and less of an issue

Poppi89 · 16/04/2020 16:37

I know a couple of Xaviers (it's one of my favourite names).

One I know pronounces it X - ay-ve-ar ( being with the sound X)
One I know pronounces it Zay - ver -ar ( being with the sound Z)

MikeUniformMike · 16/04/2020 16:25

Zavier.

Xerxes might be simpler pronunciation-wise.

Ellmau · 16/04/2020 16:24

It's not Greek, @TenShortStories, but Basque. It was the surname of a saint.

In English I would pronounce it Zay-via, in French Zavveeay. In Spanish I would probably spell Javier.

Davespecifico · 16/04/2020 16:19

I’m fussy about names but I like it.

ParadiseLaundry · 16/04/2020 16:18

Zavier pronunciation.

I adore this name and really wanted to call DS2 it as it went really well with DS1's name. DH wasn't a fan of it sadly Sad

PaulinePetrovaPosey · 16/04/2020 16:13

Zav-ee-er.

I like it!

TenShortStories · 16/04/2020 16:11

Pretty sure the 'ex' sound at the beginning isn't an Americanism but the original Greek pronunciation (although happy to be corrected if I've misremembered). It's more of a 'kss' sound than 'ex' though.

GlamGiraffe · 16/04/2020 16:11

Za -vee-ay. I really like the name.

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