Page "Francis Xavier" Paragraph 43

The alternative spelling Xavier is also popular in Portugal, Brazil, France, Belgium, and southern Italy.

In India, the spelling Xavier is almost always used, and the name is quite common among Christians, especially in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and more common in Goa.

In Goa, Xavier besides being a surname, is also seen as the suffix in the names Francisco Xavier, António Xavier, João Xavier, Caetano Xavier, Domingos Xavier et cetera, which were very common till quiet recently.

In Austria and Bavaria the name is spelled as Xaver ( pronounced Ksaber ) and often used in addition to Francis as Franz-Xaver.

In English speaking countries, " Xavier " is one of the few names starting with X, and until recently was likely to follow " Francis "; in the last decade, however, " Xavier " by itself has become more popular than " Francis ", and is now one of the hundred most common male baby names in the US.