Beau

How to say it

/boʊ/

What it means

French for 'beautiful' or 'handsome,' the masculine form (the feminine is belle). Used as an English nickname for dandies and gentlemen since the 18th century before becoming a given name.

Beau is the French masculine adjective for 'beautiful, handsome.' In English it became a nickname for dandies and well-dressed gentlemen in the 18th century (Beau Brummell, the Regency-era arbiter of male style, gave the name its definitive cultural anchor). As a first name in the US, Beau has surged since the 2010s, particularly in Southern families. Joe Biden's late son Beau (1969-2015) lent it political resonance. Single syllable, no nickname needed.

Heads-up notes

• Pop culture

  Joe Biden's eldest son Beau (1969-2015), the Delaware attorney general, gave the name modern American political weight.

Who's worn it

Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.

• Beau Brummell Regency-era English dandy whose style set the template for the modern men's suit
• Beau Biden Delaware Attorney General, Joe Biden's eldest son, 1969-2015
• Beau Bridges American actor, Jeff Bridges's older brother

Spelling variants

• Bo

Names with the same feeling

• Leo Lion
• Owen Young warrior, or 'well-born'
• Wyatt Brave in war
• Atlas Bearer, enduring
• Ezra Help, helper

See Beau from another angle