Javier first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Javier has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Javier

A Spanish masculine name meaning "new house" or "bright."

Popularity of Javier by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Javier is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Javier being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,462 male babies and 5 female babies born with the name Javier.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 5 baby girls were named Javier in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 1,462 5
2022 1,458 0
2021 1,423 0
2020 1,406 0
2019 1,610 0
2018 1,549 0
2017 1,643 0
2016 1,632 0
2015 1,700 0
2014 1,765 0
2013 1,683 0
2012 1,773 0
2011 1,883 0
2010 1,950 0
2009 2,017 7
2008 2,369 6
2007 2,550 0
2006 2,592 0
2005 2,501 6
2004 2,535 13
2003 2,502 5
2002 2,435 9
2001 2,636 9
2000 2,493 10
1999 2,318 10
1998 2,309 9
1997 2,290 11
1996 2,247 11
1995 2,250 11
1994 2,271 15
1993 2,179 25
1992 2,132 21
1991 2,133 24
1990 1,980 17
1989 1,815 12
1988 1,569 19
1987 1,530 13
1986 1,427 9
1985 1,423 12
1984 1,389 10
1983 1,423 15
1982 1,294 20
1981 1,305 13
1980 1,308 12
1979 1,141 18
1978 1,157 13
1977 1,114 7
1976 1,054 10
1975 1,113 9
1974 1,060 10

The history of the first name Javier

Javier is a Spanish masculine given name derived from the ancient Basque name Xabier or Xavier, which ultimately traces its origins to the medieval Basque word "etcheberri" meaning "new house" or "new home." The name gained widespread popularity due to the veneration of St. Francis Xavier, a Navarrese Catholic missionary who traveled throughout Asia in the 16th century.

The name Javier first appeared in historical records during the early Middle Ages in the region of Navarre, situated in the Basque Country of northern Spain and southern France. As a prominent local noble family, the name Javier was associated with the Castle of Xavier, a fortified structure located near the village of Xavier in Navarre.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the name Javier was Juan de Javier, a 14th-century Navarrese nobleman who served as a Knight Hospitaller and played a role in the Reconquista, the centuries-long struggle to expel the Moors from the Iberian Peninsula.

The fame of St. Francis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta in 1506, significantly contributed to the widespread adoption of the name Javier throughout Spain and its colonial territories in the Americas. As one of the founding members of the Jesuit order, St. Francis Xavier embarked on extensive missionary journeys to India, Japan, and other parts of Asia, earning him the title of "Apostle of the Indies."

Another notable historical figure named Javier was Javier Mina, a Spanish military leader and revolutionary who fought against the French occupation of Spain during the Peninsular War in the early 19th century. Born in 1789, Mina later played a pivotal role in the Mexican War of Independence, supporting the rebel forces against Spanish colonial rule.

In the realm of literature, Javier MarĂ­as, a celebrated Spanish novelist and translator born in 1951, has gained international acclaim for his works, including "A Heart So White" and "Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me." His novels often explore themes of identity, memory, and the complexities of human relationships.

Javier Bardem, the Academy Award-winning Spanish actor born in 1969, is another prominent bearer of the name. Known for his roles in films such as "No Country for Old Men" and "Skyfall," Bardem has earned critical acclaim for his versatile performances and has become a respected figure in the international film industry.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Javier was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Javier, please contact us.

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"Javier first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/javier-meaning-and-history/.

"Javier first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/javier-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Javier first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/javier-meaning-and-history/.

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