Xavier, pronounced as 'zaɪ-víər', is of Basque origin and means 'new house'. It is derived from the Basque name Etxaber, which consists of two elements: etxe meaning 'house' and aber meaning 'new'. Historically, Xavier was popularized by Francis Xavier, a co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and one of the most significant figures in Christianity's spread to Asia. The name Xavier has been used more frequently since the 1980s, likely due to its unique sound and association with education through the Jesuit order.
The name Exavier experienced a significant increase in popularity from the late 1980s onwards, with a notable spike starting in 1996 and peaking in 2002 with 64 births that year. However, since then, there has been a steady decline, reaching an all-time low of 22 births in 2023. Overall, Exavier has seen 1282 births between 1970 and 2023.