Xavier: pronunciation

[xavierpron]

Hi, we are thinking of this name for our DS when he is born but I am worried about the pronunciation.

Would you say the "a" in the "zay" bit of "Zayv ee er" as in "wave" or "have"?

Hope that makes sense!

Zav (to rhyme with Have) Ee Ay. Is the proper French way abs makes a nicer nickname in Xavi (Zavvy).

Ecks Ay Vee Er is American nonsense, sorry!

So is it fair to say:

Have - ee - ay = Spanish
Zav - ee - ay = French
Ex - ay - vyer = American
Zay - vyer = English

?

Zav-ee-uh, or Hav-ee-ay

birdofthenorth my French friend Ecksenia would take great umbrage at being referred to as American nonsense!

I know a Xavier. He is pronounced xay vee ar a bit like saviour.

Ex eh vie er

Ksav-ee-ay

Zav-ee-air

I thought until two minutes ago that it actually did mean "saviour" as in St Francis Xavier but apparently it means "new house"

I think northey's pretty much summed it up there! It's entirely up to you. My son is Xavier, and we pronounce it the English way (zay-vee for short). He gets called all pronunciations and it doesn't faze him a bit!

No, Have-ee-air, not ay.

I always think 'Havier'.

I always thought Javier was pron. Have-ee- ay (boy in my year had the name) and Xavier was Zay-vier.

I automatically say it the French way, but that's only because I've never met a Xavier who wasn't French.

Being a saintly sort of name, the pronunciation to rhyme with Saviour seems appropriate, even it that's not the origin of the name.

Zavvi err
or
Zavvi eyy Both are acceptable.
When in England I went to Catholic schools (was very loosely brought up Catholic), and knew a few Xaviers. Nice name.

Traditionally "Zay vee yar" in English, but "Zav-yer" (sort of) in French. Take your pick. Just NOT (hideous) Ex-etc as everyone else has pointed out. A friend's brother spelled his DS' name Zavier to avoid this.

Yep - I think northey has it right.
thanks

Have never heard it pronounced with "Ex" at the beginning,that sounds very odd. I taught two Xaviers,and both pronounced it "Zaviyer" as in "have".

Have - ee - ay = Spanish
Zhhav - ee -ay = Basque
Zav - ee - ay = French
Zav - ee - an = Slovakian
Zay - vyer = English, American, Australian, Canadian (French Canadian probably "Zav - ee - ay" but I'm not sure).

Xavier is a Basque name because St Francis Xavier was a Basque. The Jesuits popularised this saint and called him "Zay - vyer" in their many English speaking schools (there's one in Liverpool which Elvis Costello went to). David and Xavier in English have a long A, David and Xavier in French have a short A. There are loads of names in French that have the same spelling that are pronounced completely differently (eg Benjamin). Sorry to sound like such an expert, but I called my DS Xavier!

I know one Zav-ee-ay and one Zarv-uh (but I think that's spelt Xaver not Xavier and therefore a different name?)

Zav-ee-ay. No question. Any thought of Zay-vee-err is just wrong.

To rhyme with saviour. There are other pronunciations but I don't know which is most correct, if any.