Beau

Bo

French

"handsome"

Beau Origin and Meaning

The name Beau is a boy's name of French origin meaning "handsome".

Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau has been on the Social Security list non-stop since 1969.

Beau also has something of a dapper image, thanks to the fashionable Beau Brummell (born George), which led to the stylish New York mayor Jimmy Walker being called Beau James. Other notable Beaus had more formal names at birth—Beaus Bridges and Biden were both the third sons in their families to carry their fathers' names: Lloyd Vernet Bridges III and Joseph Robinette Biden III.

P.C. Wren's novel Beau Geste was a major bestseller in its day and was also a popular movie—in that case Michael was the character's birth name. Many will remember that the child of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes in Gone With the Wind was called Beau, and there was also a Beau on the old TV western Maverick.

And if you want a more substantial name on the birth certificate, try Beauregard.

Art Garfunkel, Emma Bunton, Wendy Wilson, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and now Tori Spelling all have sons named Beau.

• 132 US 2019
• 85 Nameberry 2021
• 201 England 2018
• 196 Netherlands 2015
• 40 New Zealand 2020
• 63 Australia 2019
• 31 Dogs 2020
• 69 2028 2028