ChatGPT
Claude
Gemini
Perplexity
The short answer
Beau is the French adjective meaning "beautiful, handsome", used as a given name in English since the middle of the 20th century. It is pronounced BOH, rhyming with "go". Behind the Name notes that although the word is grammatically masculine in French, the name is given to girls as well as boys in Britain and the Netherlands, while in America it is more exclusively masculine; it is not commonly used as a name in France. An early literary bearer is Ashley and Melanie's son in Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind (1936). In the United States Beau ranked #60 for boys in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name gives Beau plainly as meaning "beautiful, handsome" in French, and dates its use as a given name to the middle of the 20th century. This is a vocabulary-word name rather than one with a long chain of older forms: the root listed is simply the French word beau. The entry adds a point of usage that matters for parents: the word is a grammatically masculine adjective in French, yet in Britain and the Netherlands the name is given to girls as well as boys, whereas American use is more exclusively masculine. Behind the Name also observes that Beau is not commonly used as a name in France itself. The spelling Bo is listed as a variant in both English and Dutch.
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| French | beau | beautiful, handsome |
Popularity
Beau ranked #60 for boys in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration). Behind the Name lists the name as used in English and in modern Dutch, and describes its American use as more exclusively masculine than its use in Britain and the Netherlands; no non-US rank figures were available in the facts used for this draft.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #60 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: None documented.
Variants: Bo
Related names: None documented.
What the name feels like
Beau is a single syllable that reads as both soft and confident: a vowel-rich sound with an obviously French look on the page. Because it is a word rather than a traditional given name, it carries the mood of its meaning directly, and it sits comfortably beside short, modern boys' names as well as older Southern-flavoured ones.
Style tags: one syllable, word name, French, modern
Editorial interpretation: These style impressions are editorial judgment, not linguistic fact. Beau is itself so short that no traditional nicknames are documented; Bo is a spelling variant listed by Behind the Name rather than a diminutive.
If you like this name
Names that share Beau's short, open sound or its word-name and French character. These groupings are editorial suggestions.
Similar by sound
Similar by style
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Beau mean?
Beau means "beautiful, handsome". It is the French adjective used directly as a given name, a practice Behind the Name dates to the middle of the 20th century.
Is Beau a boy's or a girl's name?
In the United States it is mainly a boys' name, ranking #60 for boys in 2025 according to Social Security Administration data. Behind the Name notes that in Britain and the Netherlands it is given to girls as well as boys, even though the French word is grammatically masculine.
How do you pronounce Beau?
Beau is pronounced BOH, as a single syllable rhyming with "go" (IPA /ˈboʊ/). Bo is an alternative spelling.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Beau — supports etymology, pronunciation, variants, gender usage note, Gone with the Wind reference.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
