Xavier is 5wks but I cringe when asked his name! Help!

I love it, ds was going to be Xavier but H's family all said Zay vee er and it annoyed me too much!

auntymel, I think Xavier is a beautiful name, it was on my list for ds3

stick with it, i have found every single time that i find it a bit weird saying their names for a while, but after a bit it just is fine!

I like it, think your DS will grow into it really well.

I know two brothers called Xavier and Quentin - both with French roots I think (where both names are more popular).

I really like Xavier but would naturally pronounce it Ksa-vier (unless told otherwise, of course).

On a tangent... I know two brothers called Xavier and Sebastian!

Is is the name itself or the worry that it does not suit him?

I cringed every time I was asked dd2's name and it is a beautiful, traditional (boring) name but somehow I just felt slightly awkward about it being her name. I used to point out that dh chose it despite receiving only positive feedback. She is now 3 1/2 and has grown into it beautifully. She has also chosen her own shortened version and I cannot imagine her as any other name.

I happen to think that Xavier is a fabulous, strong name that goes very well with Sebastian. It is great for a baby, a child and a man. (Maybe I am revealing my Canadian roots... but I know several people with both names and I don't find them pretentious or OTT.)

Names are such a personal thing that I would not let other people's reactions be your guide.

I also felt like you with Dd and sometimes still do and she'll turn 3 next month. Her name is Willow and I don't think anyone except my Dad wasn't keen on it.

If you like it, you'll get more comfortable with it over time and who really cares what other people think? I can't think why anyone would have trouble saying Xavier at all. It's a lovely name IMO.

I think it is lovely. DD has a friend called Xavier. It is popular in France, Spain (Javier) and especially in Catalonia. Your Dad is French so there is a logical connection but there doesn't need to be. Ignore boring people who cannot pronounce anything vaguely "forrin" or people who say "Ewww, not for the likes of you!" out of pure snobbery

Can you tell I hate baby name facism?! oh and I also loved Sebastian but had DDs so never got to use it. I am a northern pleb so probably just as well, eh?? grin]

Congrats on your baby btw.

I like it bt if you cringe maybe its not for you.There are lots of names that I think are lovely but wouldn't use them maybe you should change it while he's young to Ptolemy

How cool to have a first name that starts with an X! I love it

Not round here it doesn't - I know of 2

I agree with Bonsoir. It's fine if you're French but a tad poncey if you're not. I do like it as a name but it does sound odd in Anglo Saxon countries.

They're boring. You're not. That's my attitude. You can't please everyone. For every awkward pause you get a wow! I love unusual names! (and it's not that unusual anyway I don't think).

All three of my boys have uncommon names and I can completely relate to the tense pause after someone asks their names especially when they ask me to name all my children in a list. The atmosphere thickens, or is it me?

Plenty of people also say, 'Wow! Great name(s)'. It really does get easier.

I think it's a gorgeous name. My DD2 has a fairly unusual name and I love it so much that I really don't care how people react to it. How do you feel when you're using the name at home? My friend has a Xavier and has used other unusual names, too, and when we were talking recently about names she kept finding an opportunity to use her DD's name. It was very endearing . If you can get over your self-consciousness, would you feel that way about it?

It's a great name.

There is a new boy in DS's class called Xavier ~ he is 15 years old and is mega cool appartently

I felt a bot like this with DS's name at first. I knew I loved it and I knew it would suit him, but it does sometimes require some "explaining" i.e. repeating or spelling.

I got over it, even though I have had mixed reactions (one woman plainly told me, to my face, that "you can't call a baby that!". I was proved right, and it does really suit him. Now he is 21mths and all our friends who were either or at least when we first announced it admit that it is a really cool name now that they're used to it.

I also think that so many babies have what are considered unusual names now that people are quite shocked if you do end up with a James/Matthew/Thomas type of name. IYSWIM.

Xavier is a lovley name BTW.

My ds is Louis Xavier, I think Xavier is a fab name, and X is such a cool initial

Lovely name I think - certainly not pretentious if you are Catholic?
I love Atticus too but then I do have a dd with middle name Harper!

I like it. Have a friend who has a Sebastian and a Xavier. Obv a good choice!

I love this name. If you love it too then stick to your guns!

It was my father's middle name, and has therefore been used quite a bit in my extended family (so unfortuately I won't be able to use it myself if our baby is a boy!). Not sure why some people think it's only appropriate for French/posh folks - it's got a long history of being used amongst Catholics outside of France (eg my father was born in rural Ireland in the 30s for instance).

I think it's a great name. It's a name that will suit someone of any age. At least there won't be 5 of them in his class when he goes to school and it's easy to spell!