Xavier and Xander

[Purple75]

Too similar for siblings?

I think so.

Also they are different genre's imo.

Xavier is a name in it's own right. It goes with: Magnus, Hector, Tobin, etc.

Xander is a diminutive of Alexander. It goes with Theo, Zac, Max, etc.

Literally someone I work with has 2 sons named this, one born afew weeks ago!

Yes. Way too similar.

I actually love both those names, they are unusual but not weird or ridiculous.

Xander is short for Alexander, it’s a bit cringe putting that on a birth certificate. Alexander can become Alex, Sandy or Xander most commonly.

Xavier and Alexander, then shortened to Xander? Almost OK.

Xavier and Xander from birth? No. That's a parent who sees children as a fun accessory. Not individuals who might grow up into adults.

I know a Xenophon (Xen)

I mean my Greek isn't good and I know it's a famous person but wouldn't that mean 'foreign language' or similar?

They will get each other's post- total pita. On the positive side you could save money on school name tags.

I know of 2 brothers with these names.

I wouldn't blight twins with the same unusual initial; endless bureaucratic confusion later in life.

You could register them as Xavier and Alexander. Then use Zander as his family nickname.

It's fine, other than it looks a bit too matchy matchy. Alexander is better than Xander

I always think this is more about how you’ll be perceived for picking such names. Hoping to seem cool or really individual. Probably more likely to come over as a bit gimmicky! On nick names, your kids will eventually gravitate to their own shortened names (if they want) than the ones you have painstakingly planned for them. They aren’t accessories as others have said, although I can understand avoiding giving a name that has a common shorter version that you hate (ex’s name etc). I’d personally hate to have the same initials as my sibling or always being at the end of the list with a Z or X name.

I think they are okay together if you don't mind some mishearing and correcting which child you mean, including when called one or the other. I quite like these names personally.

It is somewhat dependent on how you pronounce them.
Zay-vee-u or Za-vee-yay and Zahn-du or more distinguishable than Za-vee-u and Zan-du.

Of course, you've got the pronunciation issues doubled with two names that have more than one usual pronunciation each but then so do lots of people.

Please don't pronounce Xavier Ex-ay-vee-u. I know some people do but just no.

There is nothing wrong with the actual names mind, I like both of them.

I have the same firstname initial and quite matchy name to a sibling. I quite like it but it can annoy some people o you can't know if it will annoy them as they grow up or not. Give them different middle name initials at the very least, and use them religiously on all correspondence and name tags so that it becomes common use and knowledge at school, when they write their own names, with grandparents sending post, etc.

You are actually, thinking about it, going to have more problems if they get shortened to Zav and Zan, that is going to be confusing. Try to think up family nicknames that are more distinguishable. What their friends do in different school years do is outside your control. Avoid for twins overall. Too confusing then.

I should have said - they are already here (not twins). We have had a few raised eyebrows while introducing Xander and now I am worried that they are too similar. His full name is Xander.

If people raise their eyebrows, that's their problem, not yours. I know a Xander and Oliver. Xander was fairly unusual when he was named, Oliver was the top name when he was named. We raised eyebrows because we expected something unusual.

@COL1N Oh weird! What do you think? And your colleagues?

Parents surely think about the names they give. You must have wanted raised eyebrows or you would have called them Oliver and William. Going for two X names is deliberate.

People want to be cool naming their children but that means sone people are going to judge.

I consider it quite acceptable. Nothing like calling them Apple and Plum or Dee-jay and A-jay etc.
the majority of people you meet won’t be introduced to both boys and those who know you will be used to their names and no longer think anything of it.
Nice names and no need for regret.
I wouldn’t go for a third if you have another baby, though. Xanthe might complete the set but would be rather OTT
Good luck

A bit cringe.

This can’t be a common sibling pair. Do @Scrabble and @COL1N know the OP IRL?!

I was wondering that too! Do you also have a third child OP?

It doesn’t really say that you want to encourage them to develop identities independent from each other; one of the names is a nickname; and they sound pretentious. Tough love, sorry