Xavier

[Rosesaredead]

How do you pronounce Xavier?

Everyone I have met with this name in the UK or USA pronounces it "Zay-vee-er" which I really like.

But on Mumsnet when people suggest saying it this way they often get ripped to shreds and told to pronounce it the Spanish way which sounds lovely said in a Spanish accent by a Spanish person but just makes me cringe when said in a British accent and which I KNOW would get me so many looks if I used for my child. In fact, I'd be giving myself looks.

So what do you think? Is it really necessary to pronounce it the Spanish way? If so, why is this the only name which people passionately feel can't be anglicanised? The poster who say it must be pronounced in the Spanish way are often so aggressive about it that it's made me anxious! Is it really so terrible to pronounce it the English way? Other names don't get people saying this. For example, we love Genevieve for a girl and posted about it on here but nobody told me I should pronounce it 'Gene-vee-ev' because that's how it's said in France.

Advice please!

It's not particular uncommon here in Australia and every single one I've met pronounces it zay- vee-er, like 'wavier'. This seems to be the commonly accepted way of saying it and, to be entirely honest, I feel people can sometimes be extremely over the top about name pronunciation. I would never be ok with completely mispronouncing a name but not being aware of the fact that names have been shared across cultures and anglicised over thousands of years is just naive.

There are SO many example but one is Clémentine, which is French and pronounced completely differently from how it's said in English, and yet the English pronunciation has been long used and is entirely accepted.

OP, like you I've been worrying about using a name from a foreign culture that people may have strong opinions on. In my case the name is Amélie/Amelie, and I've feared being told I'm mispronouncing it but I've gotten over that now (particularly as how I say it is extremely close to the original anyway, as I've been told by multiple French people).

It would be weird anyway, in an English speaking country, to use a Spanish/French name and put on an accent that is clearly not natural. To this some people might say you shouldn't use a name from a culture that isn't yours but again, I think that's naive. So many cultures overlap in so many ways and have done so over hundreds, if not thousands of years, and just as resources and ideas and so on are shared, so are names, to the extent that they become commonly used in those countries who'd previously not been exposed to it.

Anyway, essay over!

I always seem to be quoting Jilly Cooper (I would put a blush emoji but I have to make my peace with the fact I have little knowledge and can only employ the bit I possess).
Just to say Rupert Campbell Black and Taggie have a son who they adopted in Colombia. They called him Xavier (wanting a name that reflected his heritage) and shorten it to Xav. I assume from this that they pronounce it "Zah-vee-er".
But definitely not in an "authentic accent". Strictly RP for the Campell Blacks. Although foreigners all talk "'ow you say? Like zees". Unless they're Chinese... In which case, they'd call me Marschallin La. No matter how good their English was otherwise.
Anyway, I'm rambling now

I like Xavier as a name but it might get irritating if it kept being assumed it came from the X Men if you weren't a fan.

I have a Xavier and we pronounce it a z sound. My son loves his name and told me his name is really cool because it starts with an X!!!

I agree it often sounds a bit weird/try-hard to try and pronounce a name in their accent, if you know what I mean. My DH does it all the time with various food/names/places and it makes me cringe every time. Some words/names are ok to do this, but others just make you sound awful!

I like Zay-vee-er, and have heard za-vee-air too but almost becoming that weird accenty-way to say it (wish I could write what I mean clearer than this!😂 )