How would you pronounce...

[Babynamechangerr]

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!

Zay-Vee-Err never heard of the name until a patient came in and I had to quickly YouTube how to say the name before I called them in . Lovely name though! Also British.

I'm British but the first Xavier I met had a French mum so my first thought is the French pronunciation (sort of Zav-ee-air).
I've also met a few that pronounce it a bit more like Zav-ee-ay.
I did meet one that was pronounced with an initial Eks sound which seemed a bit odd.

Really surprised by the way that a couple of posters pronounce xylophone. I'm a primary school teacher so it's a pretty everyday word to me. In (almost) 30 years I've literally never heard it pronounced as anything other than zye-luh-phone. All the specialist music teachers I've met have pronounced it that way so I'm 100% sure that the initial "x" is pronounced as a "z".

@Griefmonster fair enough, but I think OP is trying to get a sense of what the first instincts are of people re pronunciation of this name based on background and experience.

If OP is Catalan and going for the Chabier pronunciation, sounds like he will be explaining that a lot if he lives in England

Omg. I've been saying xylophone wrongly. For years.

Zay vee er

Yeah Re Catalan pronunciation, when DS of said name was in PICU one of the docs was from Catalan and she said they pronounce it Ta vee air. Love the sound of it with a T but that would require a spelling change or a lifetime of explaining and too many hospital notes said Xaiver by then lol. Italian doc pronounced it Za vee air as did the very posh English doc. XMen fans do the Ex zay ve uh

Za - vee - ay first because the one we knew first pronounced it that way.
Now we know a Zay-vee-er (like saviour with a z) so I'm used to that now.
Both those are nice and people will get used to the one you choose quickly.
The American pronunciation (ex - ay - vee - er) is the only one I dislike.

Blame Professor Charles Xavier!

OP if you're going to go with it just correct e ery mispronunciatiom but don't let it get to you