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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Bow for a girl?

155 replies

stacestation · 31/05/2022 20:54

What do people think of this? Have you ever heard of this being used as a full first name?

Woman from school derides popular names. Apparently her daughter has a unique 'name' though to call it a name is a bit of a stretch as I recently discovered the girl is called Bow, as in a hair bow, not bow and arrow.

The unfortunate part is that the area they're in all the local accents, including their own, pronounce it as Bore. I feel sorry for the poor girl. I can't mention the middle name as that would be outing, but that's even worse. The poor girl, it doesn't aspire to much.

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carefullycourageous · 01/06/2022 01:13

AuntTwacky · 01/06/2022 01:09

Isabeau sounds ridiculous!

This is a very prejudiced comment, it is a perfectly normal name

nameberry.com/babyname/isabeau

AuntTwacky · 01/06/2022 01:09

Isabeau sounds ridiculous!

Original poster
stacestation · 01/06/2022 01:01

AmandaMirandaPanda · 01/06/2022 00:58

I know a woman called Bo - originally Beau, short for Isabeau, but when she moved from (mainly Francophone) Québec where she grew up to (mainly Anglophone) Ontario, the Bo spelling was easier. Her "Bo" or "Beau" sounds the same as bow and arrow, hair bow, Bo and Luke Duke, etc. I've never personally encountered an acccent - English language or French language - in which it would be pronounced "bore", as in "you bore me to tears", but if that's what happens it's unfortunate.

It is unfortunate, yes.

Isabeau is quite lovely, and gives some nice choices of short forms.

OP posts:
AmandaMirandaPanda · 01/06/2022 00:58

I know a woman called Bo - originally Beau, short for Isabeau, but when she moved from (mainly Francophone) Québec where she grew up to (mainly Anglophone) Ontario, the Bo spelling was easier. Her "Bo" or "Beau" sounds the same as bow and arrow, hair bow, Bo and Luke Duke, etc. I've never personally encountered an acccent - English language or French language - in which it would be pronounced "bore", as in "you bore me to tears", but if that's what happens it's unfortunate.

Original poster
stacestation · 01/06/2022 00:39

Yes, lots of places in the north where the pronunciation would be 'bore'.

To be fair, and to the pps who know a Bow, the pronunciation, in my opinion, is the most problematic thing, so it possibly wouldn't have made much difference if the child had been Beau (though I don't care for Beau because of the masculine aspect, though fair to say it's unisex and quite popular now) or Bo. They still would have ended up with 'bore' pronunciation.

You automatically check it's correct if your own child tells you there's a child in their class, or year, named Bore, which is what I did!

I can't say the middle name, but they've made up a pronunciation there, nothing to do with their accents. It's the poor child who has to bear the brunt of the parental decisions, though, so it's her I feel sorry for.

OP posts:
ILoveAnOwl · 31/05/2022 23:13

In Huddersfield, for example, the local accent would pronounce 'bow' as 'bore'.

Original poster
stacestation · 31/05/2022 22:51

LondonQueen · 31/05/2022 22:42

It's Beau as in beautiful. Not bow as in bow and arrow.

Who's that addressed to @LondonQueen

The child in my OP is Bow, as in hair bow. And beau, more accurately, translates to handsome. You're thinking of belle.

OP posts:
LondonQueen · 31/05/2022 22:42

It's Beau as in beautiful. Not bow as in bow and arrow.

Original poster
stacestation · 31/05/2022 22:10

toastedbagiel · 31/05/2022 22:08

Well OP you are determined to be right i will give you that. A bit odd to be so defensive of opinions of a name that you have no connection to, but I suppose if you are bowerd it passes the time.

I'm not right by any means! Sorry if I've got carried away.

OP posts:
Original poster
stacestation · 31/05/2022 22:09

@RoseslnTheHospital

It is a broad accent, yes. Not everyone will pronounce it that way, as they don't all have the local accent, but the parents do and the child herself does. I probably shouldn't specify the exact region, but there are several areas in the north, and a couple in the south fitting the bill.

OP posts:
toastedbagiel · 31/05/2022 22:08

Well OP you are determined to be right i will give you that. A bit odd to be so defensive of opinions of a name that you have no connection to, but I suppose if you are bowerd it passes the time.

RoseslnTheHospital · 31/05/2022 22:03

toastedbagiel · 31/05/2022 21:54

I can't get my head around anyone saying BORE for BOW

I would imagine it's a broad regional northern accent. Maybe the OP can clarify roughly where this is.

toastofthetown · 31/05/2022 22:03

stacestation · 31/05/2022 21:14

Names is a hobby of mine @carefullycourageous 😅 I find it interesting.

I'd never say anything to the parents, of any name I disliked, but I can ask here quite safely I think.

Names is a hobby of mine too. I certainly don't like every name I come across, but I much prefer talking positively about names I do like or general naming trends, than criticising names, especially those of people I know.

Original poster
stacestation · 31/05/2022 22:03

toastedbagiel · 31/05/2022 21:49

Maybe it was sarcasm? The 'no not as in bow and arrow, as in hair bow' sounds like a sarcastic retort to someone asking if their child was named after a bow and arrow.

No, it wasn't the parents who told me that.

I've also seen/heard them explaining the name since.

It's more popular than I thought anyway (I should have looked that up first), though 'popular' being approx 20 girls a year registered. Beau is the most popular (144 last year) and Bo the least popular. Interesting

OP posts:
DoubleDiamond · 31/05/2022 21:57

Bo is a completely normal Swedish boy’s name.

Agree with PP that it’s a bit mean to start a thread slagging off someone’s name.

toastedbagiel · 31/05/2022 21:54

I can't get my head around anyone saying BORE for BOW

Original poster
stacestation · 31/05/2022 21:53

There would be too many 'proper' unusual names for me to list - thousands upon thousands.

But, you know, use common sense (not you, the parent choosing) - a proper name, unusual or not, nothing likely to cause embarrassment to the child, something to suit an adult and child, no made up 'unique' spellings, and no pronunciation issues. That's my opinion anyway.

The girls own parents, in this case, pronounce it as bore, and they seemed quite proud about the hair bow connection 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
toastedbagiel · 31/05/2022 21:49

Maybe it was sarcasm? The 'no not as in bow and arrow, as in hair bow' sounds like a sarcastic retort to someone asking if their child was named after a bow and arrow.

Hazelnuttree · 31/05/2022 21:44

@stacestation No, there's nothing 'wrong' with using a popular name if it's a name you love. But for me, when you hear the same names over and over again they lose their sparkle. I may not like some of the more unusual names I hear, but I find them refreshing and I like that there's more variety around these days.

I'd be interested to in which if the more unusual 'proper' names you'd find acceptable. I really don't think Bow is particularly 'out there' and it's certainly not cruel - no different to many other names - Clementine, River, Wren etc.

Jojobees · 31/05/2022 21:42

I have an aquaintence with a Dd called Bow Belle. Her father was a cockney, and it meant something to her.

Original poster
stacestation · 31/05/2022 21:38

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Bodhi, Bo and Beau are proper names.

The inspiration for 'bow' being a hair bow, and the unfortunate local pronunciation, I found quite sad.

OP posts:
ElenaSt · 31/05/2022 21:37

Ulrika's Johnson's daughter is called Bo.

Mif4 · 31/05/2022 21:34

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster
stacestation · 31/05/2022 21:33

worriedaboutmoney2022 · 31/05/2022 21:32

My brother used to work with a woman called Bohemia 🤦🏻‍♀️ and they called her Bo but it did suit her she was very trendy

I like that ☺️

OP posts:
worriedaboutmoney2022 · 31/05/2022 21:32

My brother used to work with a woman called Bohemia 🤦🏻‍♀️ and they called her Bo but it did suit her she was very trendy