UK boy's name
Xabier
From Basque origin, meaning "the new house" or "bright guide".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Xabier is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Xabier popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4608, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 4 births.
This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2004 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Xabier. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Xabier ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2015, when 4 boys were registered as Xabier.
- • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Xabier as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4608
2020
Births in 2020
3
Latest year
Peak year
2015
4 births
Estimated living
13
2026
Meaning
What does Xabier mean?
The name Xabier has its origins in the Basque language and culture, which is native to the Basque Country region of Spain and France. It is derived from the ancient Basque name "Etxeberri," meaning "new house" or "newcomer." The name is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 10th or 11th century.
The earliest recorded use of the name Xabier can be traced back to the 16th century, when it was bestowed upon Saint Francis Xavier, a Navarrese Catholic missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. Born in 1506 in the Kingdom of Navarre (present-day Spain), Saint Francis Xavier played a significant role in the Catholic missionary efforts in Asia and is revered as the patron saint of missionaries.
Another notable figure bearing the name Xabier was Xabier Zubiri, a Spanish philosopher and essayist born in 1898 in San Sebastián, Spain. He was a renowned thinker who made important contributions to the field of metaphysics and is considered one of the most influential Spanish philosophers of the 20th century. Zubiri passed away in 1983.
In the world of sports, Xabier Etxeita is a former Spanish professional footballer who played as a defender for various clubs, including Athletic Bilbao and Getafe CF. He was born in 1977 in Bilbao, Spain, and retired from professional football in 2014.
Xabier Arzalluz was a prominent Basque politician who served as the president of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) from 1977 to 2004. He was born in 1932 in Arratzua-Villarreal, Spain, and played a crucial role in advocating for greater autonomy for the Basque Country during his political career.
Xabier Mina is a contemporary Spanish writer and journalist from Bilbao, Spain, born in 1962. He has written several novels and short story collections, and his work often explores themes related to Basque identity and culture.
It is worth noting that while the name Xabier has its roots in the Basque language and culture, it has also gained popularity in other regions and languages, particularly in Spanish-speaking countries where it is often spelled as "Javier" or "Xavier." The name has transcended its regional origins and has become a widely recognized and respected name worldwide.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Xabier over time
The chart below shows babies named Xabier registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Xabier, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Xabier by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Xabier was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4608 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4305 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3651 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Xabier
- Xavier 5,738
- Xander 4,207
- Xavi 133
- Xzavier 66
- Xavian 48
- Xin 46
- Xiao 39
- Xion 31
- Xian 26
- Xavion 22
- Xiang 21
- Xu 20
FAQ
Xabier: questions and answers
How popular is the name Xabier in the UK right now?
In 2020, Xabier was ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Xabier most popular?
The peak year on record was 2015, with 4 babies registered as Xabier in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Xabier?
From Basque origin, meaning "the new house" or "bright guide".
How many people are called Xabier in the UK?
A total of 13 babies have been registered as Xabier across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.