Javier (name)
Name list
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Javier (pronounced [xäˈβjeɾ, χäˈβ˕eɾ, häˈβjeɾ, xäˈbje̞, häˈbje̞, ha̟ˈβ˕jɛ]) is the Spanish spelling of the masculine name Xavier.[1]
Javier, Kingdom of Navarre, today part of Spain| Pronunciation | [xaˈβjeɾ] |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Javier, Kingdom of Navarre, today part of Spain |
| Meaning | from a placename meaning Castle or New House |
| Region of origin | Latin Europe |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Xabier, Xavier |
The name derives from the Catholic saint called Francis de Xavier, where Xavier refers to the saint's birthplace. This birthplace name, in turn, has Basque roots, etymologically originating in the word etxaberri (etxe berri in standard spelling), meaning "castle" or "new house".[2]
The original place name went through a Romance phonetic change in Navarro-Aragonese, a Romance language spoken in the neighbouring Romanzado (cf. Leire) from the Early Middle Ages. Like examples can be found in Irunberri > Lumbier, Erronkari > Roncal. It was later borrowed by Castilian. Other variations of this name include Xaverius, Xever, Javiero, and Saverio. The feminine names Javiera, Saveria, Zaviera, and Saverina are less common.
Etxeberria, Echeverría, Echevarría, Etxebarri, and Chávarri are Basque surnames related to the name by etymology.
Its diffusion is due to the fame of Jesuit priest and missionary Saint Francis Xavier (Spanish: San Francisco Javier). When he was canonized, places and people were named after him, which popularized the name.
Contemporary use of the name Javier is found in Spain, Equatorial Guinea and Ibero American countries, where it is popular.
Etymology: from Etxaberri to Javier
- Loss of the initial e
- Loss of the ending i
- Middle, accentuated, e became the diphthongized form ie
- Old Spanish X was pronounced /ʃ/ as in Basque, like an English sh. Old Spanish /ʃ/ then merged with J (then pronounced the English and later the French way) into /x/, which is now spelled J and pronounced like Scottish or German ch or as English h.
Pronunciation
In the English-speaking world, especially in the British media, the pronunciation of "Javier" is frequently confused with the pronunciation of French words or names ending in "-ier" such as Xavier or Olivier. The resulting pronunciation "HAV-ee-ay" is a hybrid of Spanish, French and English. In Spanish, correctly spoken, the final syllable sounds much like the English word "air", not the English word "eh".
In Singapore, the name is pronounced "JAY-vee-er" /ˈdʒeɪviər/ as if it were an English name.[3]
In other languages
Aragonese Chabier
Asturian: Xabel
Basque: Xabier
Castilian: Javier
Catalan Xavier
English: Xavier /ˈzeɪviər/
French: Xavier
Galician: Xabier
German: Xaver (pronounced [ˈksaːvɐ])
Italian: Saviero or Saverio
Latin: Xaverius
Maltese: Saverju
Leonese: Xabiere
Philippine languages: Javier or Xavier
Polish: Ksawery
Portuguese: Xavier
Russian: Ксаверий (Ksavierij)
Notable people
- Javier Aguirre (born 1958), Mexican football manager and former player
- Javier Báez (born 1992), Puerto Rican baseball player
- Javier Bardem (born 1969), Spanish actor
- Javier Hernández (born 1988), Mexican footballer
- Javier Mascherano (born 1984), Argentine football manager and former player
- Javier Milei (born 1970), President of Argentina
- Javier Revuelta (born 1957), Spanish equestrian
- Javier Zanetti (born 1973), Argentine footballer
