Boy name · French
Beau
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: handsome, beautifulBeau is a boy's name that comes from French and means "handsome, beautiful". It is used in English and French.
- Meaning
- Handsome, beautiful
- Origin
- French
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- BOH
Meaning and origin of Beau
As a boy's name, Beau comes from French and means "handsome, beautiful". It is used in English and French.
Say it BOH. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Beau on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Beau on 6 lists.
“An old-fashioned word for a boyfriend, borrowed from French”
From Nicknames for boyfriend, classic pet names for boyfriend
“French for handsome; pure Southern charm”
From Redneck names for boys, southern gentleman names for boys
“Handsome; French. Charming and soft. Say BOH”
From Boy middle names, one-syllable boy middle names
“French for handsome; easy, sunny and Southern”
From Cowboy names, western boy names
“Handsome; French, a sweet Southern favorite. Say BOH”
From Cute boy names, cute boy names from around the world
“A Southern gentleman”
From Porch goose names, southern and country porch goose names
How popular is Beau?
- US rank in 2025
- #60
- 5,165 babies, 3,024 per million boys
- Best rank
- #60 in 2025
- 5,165 babies that year
- Babies since 1932
- At least 65,592
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 5 per million |
| 1950s | 6 per million |
| 1960s | 25 per million |
| 1970s | 190 per million |
| 1980s | 389 per million |
| 1990s | 288 per million |
| 2000s | 307 per million |
| 2010s | 945 per million |
| 2020s | 2,421 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #189 | #157 | #151 | #132 | #109 | #94 | #90 | #81 | #69 | #60 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Beau
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- BeatBlessed (Latin, boy)
- BenSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- BertBright (Germanic, boy)
- BramFather of many (Hebrew, boy)
- BranA raven (Celtic, boy)
- BayA sheltered curve of coast (English, unisex)
- BeñatBrave bear (Germanic, boy)
- BerkSolid, firm (Turkish, boy)
- BetoPet form of Alberto or Roberto (Spanish, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- HassanHandsome, good (Arabic, boy)
- KennethAnglicized Coinneach, handsome, and Cináed, perhaps born of fire (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- AstridDivinely beautiful (Old Norse, girl)
- BellamyBeautiful friend (Old French, unisex)
- BelleBeautiful (French, girl)
- CalliopeBeautiful voice (Greek, girl)
- IngridIng is beautiful (Old Norse, girl)
- JunTalented, handsome (depends on characters) (Chinese, boy)
- KenzieSon of the handsome one (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- MackenzieSon of the handsome one (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
Middle names for Beau
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from French
Beau: common questions
What does the name Beau mean?
Beau comes from French and means "handsome, beautiful". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Beau a boy or girl name?
Beau is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 59 girls and 5,165 boys in the US were named Beau, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Beau come from?
Beau comes from French and means "handsome, beautiful". Today it is used in English and French.
How do you pronounce Beau?
Say BOH. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Beau?
Beau ranked #60 in the US in 2025, with 5,165 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Beau?
Names spelled like Beau include Beat, Ben, Bert, Bram and Bran.
What middle names go with Beau?
Middle names that flow well with Beau include Alistair, Clark, Drake, Joseph and Lamar. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.