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Beau

♀ Girl

Pronounced BOH /ˈboʊ/Medium

Meaning: Beautiful, handsomeMedium

In 30 seconds: Beau is an English name meaning 'beautiful' or 'handsome,' used here for a girl.
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Origin MediumEnglish, Dutch
MeaningBeautiful, handsome
U.S. rank (2024)#2660 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births65 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2024
Total births (all-time)≈ 951

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202419772024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Beau comes from the French word for 'beautiful' or 'handsome' and has been adopted as an English given name. Once mainly a boy's name, it is increasingly chosen for girls, where its meaning reads simply as 'beautiful.' The actors Beau Bridges (born 1941) and Beau Garrett (born 1982) show its use across genders.

Short and punchy, it also appears as Bo, a stripped-down spelling that keeps the same single-syllable sound.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Beau is 'beautiful, handsome', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Beau — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

Bo

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Beau Bridges (1941–present)
    American actor, Emmy and Golden Globe winner.
  • ★Beau Garrett (1982–present)
    American actress and model, Tron: Legacy.

If you like Beau…

Bo— streamlined spelling of Beau with the same sound
Belle— French-rooted name also meaning 'beautiful'
Bea— short girl's name with a similar crisp, single-beat feel

Frequently Asked

What does the name Beau mean?

Beau is usually explained as meaning 'beautiful, handsome' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Beau?

It's commonly said BOH /ˈboʊ/.

Is Beau a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Beau is used as a girl name.

How popular is Beau?

In 2024, Beau ranked #2660 in the U.S. for girls, with 65 births recorded.