[name_m]Hi[/name_m] there.
Can anyone tell me the correct pronunciation of [name_f]Xenia[/name_f]? I know it’s “[name_f]ZEEnia[/name_f]” here in the US… which I love, but what’s the [name_u]Berry[/name_u] consensus? [name_m]How[/name_m] widely accepted is “[name_f]ZEEnia[/name_f]” for [name_f]Xenia[/name_f]? Is the Russian pronunciation, “[name_f]KSENia[/name_f]” more correct, since St [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] was Russian? Does [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] pronounced “[name_f]ZEENia[/name_f]” feel… inauthentic to you? What about other Xenias - like the Greek concept of hospitality, or Grand Duchess [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] Alexandrovna or [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] Georgiovna - were those pronounced “[name_f]Ksenia[/name_f]”? Then I’ve also heard it can be “Zhenya” or “Shenya” and “Senya.”
I could definitely get behind [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] pronounced [name_f]Ksenia[/name_f] - it’s lovely - maybe even the exotic Zhenya. The “[name_f]Zeenia[/name_f]” version is my first instinct, but I don’t want my Russian Orthodox Godfather to look askance if I announce our (nonexistent) baby’s name some day and it’s a newfangled bastardization of a saint’s name. Ya know?
I would default to “[name_f]Zeenia[/name_f],” but I’m also an Ohio native and that’s how the city in Ohio is pronounced. I’ve also heard “Senya” as the Spanish pronunciation, but haven’t heard the others.
My middle name is [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] and I pronounce it Kse-nee-uh.
[name_f]Zeenia[/name_f] I don’t care for, I find that it takes the beauty of the “X” away from the name.
The greek pronunciation is closer to Kse-nee-uh, it seem that the “X” is “Ks” while the -enia part is said faster/shorter.
Well, I speak Greek so in Greek, it would be zeh-nee-ah. Short E sound like in [name_u]Zen[/name_u]. I would have pronounced it that way. zee-nia seems weird to me.
[name_f]Xenia[/name_f] is gorgeous !!
In Greek it pronounced like @Opheliaflora says. X is Ks in Greek. I haven’t heard anyone pronounced the name like @Dantea says.
As for the other languages I have no idea lol.
I know a girl called [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] and she pronounces it ‘zeh-nee-ah’ (though the ‘nee’ is short so its probably more like ‘zen-yah’). To me ‘zee-nia’ seems a strange way to say it. I’m from the UK if that makes any difference.
It’s [name_f]Ksenia[/name_f] for me. 
I would say [name_u]Zen[/name_u]-yah, with a short e sound, which I think would be the usual pronounciation in the UK.
I say KSEN-ee-uh but with a short ‘ee’ so it’s basically KSEN-ya. Not sure if that’s right though…
Spanish speaker here. I would say sen-EE-uh, pronouncing like the Spanish Z. “[name_f]ZEE[/name_f]-nee-uh” sounds like it’s being spoken by someone who has never learned any language but English. Same with “ZEEN-yuh” and “[name_u]ZEN[/name_u]-yuh”. If you don’t mind that connotation, go for it.
Ooh replies! Thank you everyone!
An Ohio-dweller, Greek and Spanish speakers, Brits, and one bonafide [name_f]Xenia[/name_f]! [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] it’s helpful to hear that you enjoy the “ks” sound of your X and that you feel “Zeeneeah” is off-kilter. I love that “ks” sound too… but I’m also a sucker for the buzz of the Z (those valuable scrabble letters have a lure.) Not sure I’m feeling “ZENyah” or “senEEah.” Dantea are you sure sure about “[name_u]Zen[/name_u]” being the proper Greek way?
“KSEN-eeah” vs “ZEEN-eeah.” I would love to hear from anyone who knows about the pronunciation used by any [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] namesakes, especially the saint.
Thanks again guys!
Well, I’m Greek and been speaking it my whole life and have family over there and I’m a priestess in the Hellenistic paganism so I’m fairly certain.
But getting technical, the first letter is a ξ which is pronounced like the X in wax. I don’t know how to write it >.< like a really soft k with the Z sound. Is that what KS is supposed to sound like O_o If the KS is supposed to sound like the X at the end of wax (that soft k sound with the loud Z sound) then that’s what I mean. I just can’t write it out properly. It’s a prominent Z/S sound with that tiny k sound X makes.
Oh! Relief. A muted K. Thank you that makes sense. We have [name_u]Zen[/name_u] monks in the family so just flat “[name_f]ZENya[/name_f]” would feel odd to me.
Kind of like kZEHN-ee-ah. I like this name a lot
Yes, kZEHN-ee-ah. Muted K. I’m glad you understand my ramblings. I have a terrible time explaining these sorts of pronunciations without being able to say it to someone 
I would pronounce it like Senya or [name_f]Zenya[/name_f]. There was a girl named [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] on the X-[name_m]Factor[/name_m] a few years ago and I think she pronounced it like Senya, if I remember correctly. I love the name however it’s pronounced!
Moonkai and Dantea, so if we were going to be all trashy apostrophic about it, we could name her “k’[name_f]Zenya[/name_f]!” Hee hee.
Faithnamer, interesting. “X-factor” indeed! I’d say [name_f]Xenia[/name_f]'s got that.
Any saint experts out there willing to confirm the pronunciation of [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] of St Petersburg? Shvibziks with your royals obsession- any idea about the Russian [name_m]Royal[/name_m] Family’s Xenias?
I think [name_u]Mischa[/name_u] would be the one to ask about saints. She seems to be the one who posts about them the most
[name_u]Mischa[/name_u]! [name_m]Bingo[/name_m].
I usually call her St [name_f]ZENya[/name_f], but I’ve heard her called St KSENya too—and I’ve seen it spelled [name_f]Ksenia[/name_f]. I think both are valid in English, the way Tsar and Tsunami in English are often said Zar and Sunami instead of the pronounced TS. Dantea’s kZehnia is my favorite, but [name_f]Zenya[/name_f]'s easier to say quickly. I flipflop.
I’ve rarely heard [name_f]ZEE[/name_f]-nia and don’t like it as much. Zhenya (the zh like the S in treasure) reminds me more of a nickname for [name_m]Eugene[/name_m]/[name_m]Yevgeny[/name_m], but it does sound sweet.
BTW, I think your godfather will be thrilled that you’re using such a fantastic saint’s name, regardless of your preferred pronunciation. [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] of Petersburg was a very cool lady.