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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Boy name help - Beau, Jacques or Miles

89 replies

afrenchmum · 11/06/2023 18:35

Hi all,

Due in September and struggling on a boys name. It’s between Beau, Miles and Jacques. What do we think of each name and which is your favourite. Thanks in advance for the help!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

headcheffer · 11/06/2023 20:50

Beau is so awful 🤢 sorry OP. Best one from your list is Miles.

Workawayxx · 11/06/2023 20:43

Miles is the best one in my opinion.

Lifeinlists · 11/06/2023 20:38

greglet · 11/06/2023 19:35

If you had a child named Jacques and pronounced it Jacks I would think you were thick as two short planks, frankly. Or should that be planques?

Gales of laughter in our house when I just read that out. Brilliant!

OP just call him Jack. Jacks is a non starter.

MargotBamborough · 11/06/2023 20:31

KirstenBlest · 11/06/2023 20:12

Beau - dreadful. Is it a name in France?
Jacques - will be said as Jakes in the UK
Miles - great

It's not a name in France, no.

The same number of baby boys were named Beau in France last year as the number of baby boys named Handsome in England: zero.

Not only is it not a name in France, it's a name which will make it impossible for you to travel to France without being the butt of a joke everywhere you go.

catsnhats11 · 11/06/2023 20:27

I have no French links whatsoever, and know Jacques has a soft J and a silent S, surely no-one would pronounce it Jacks.. I don't get the idea of having a foreign name of you have no strong link to that country? Not just the OP, I mean this trend in general.

drpet49 · 11/06/2023 20:20

greglet · 11/06/2023 19:35

If you had a child named Jacques and pronounced it Jacks I would think you were thick as two short planks, frankly. Or should that be planques?

I agree with this.

Beau is awful. Miles is okay.

Scirocco · 11/06/2023 20:20

This has to be a wind-up. Surely no sane person who knows any French would want to pronounce their child's name as 'Jacks'.

ReeseWitherfork · 11/06/2023 20:16

afrenchmum · 11/06/2023 19:21

@NameChange30 I get Jacques has a soft j but I’m reality I assume most people in England would just pronounce is Jacks as would we too.

Yes I spoke French a lot when I was young and went across to visit relatives often and vice versa. The name list is just preference over it being about French heritage. They’re just names we have agreed on and like.

Other names we have toyed with are Jude, Jack, and Rafe.

Much prefer Jude, Jack and Rafe. Raphael was on the list that PP sent?

FWIW I can’t speak any French and I’d pronounce it Jack with a soft J, no S.

KirstenBlest · 11/06/2023 20:12

Beau - dreadful. Is it a name in France?
Jacques - will be said as Jakes in the UK
Miles - great

LysHastighed · 11/06/2023 20:11

Miles

NameChange30 · 11/06/2023 20:08

AgentProvocateur · 11/06/2023 19:19

Is Jacques pronounced Jacks? One of my colleagues in France is called Jacques but I’ve been calling him “Jack” (with a soft J). Oops.

No, it isn't.
The s is silent.
Anyone who speaks decent French should know that.

SummerInSun · 11/06/2023 20:01

Beaux is terrible in English because it's an old fashioned word for boyfriend.

RichPetunia · 11/06/2023 20:01

None

grass321 · 11/06/2023 19:54

Sorry yes to Miles or Jack.

grass321 · 11/06/2023 19:54

greglet · 11/06/2023 19:35

If you had a child named Jacques and pronounced it Jacks I would think you were thick as two short planks, frankly. Or should that be planques?

That's really made me laugh.

No to Bo, Miles or Jack. Not anything that could be pronounced Jacks, otherwise it's a short hop to adding a 'y'. No one wants to be called Jacksy with a soft or hard J.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 11/06/2023 19:43

Miles, of the three. Both the Beaus I know are nightmares, so that's not helping.

Catipepo · 11/06/2023 19:41

To be fair, I have a family member called Jacques and most people in UK pronounce it Jax, even with correction people struggle to pronounce it correctly.

KnickerlessParsons · 11/06/2023 19:41

Beau is awful, particularly if he turns out not to be.
Miles is nice and also Jack. Jacques is a bit pretentious fancy if you're living in the U.K.

greglet · 11/06/2023 19:35

If you had a child named Jacques and pronounced it Jacks I would think you were thick as two short planks, frankly. Or should that be planques?

MillbankTower · 11/06/2023 19:33

Beau will be unfortunate if he is not?

No-one with say Jacks because that isnt how it is said?

GoldDuster · 11/06/2023 19:31

How about Jack?

MargotBamborough · 11/06/2023 19:27

Or if you like Jude and Miles, how about Jules?

MargotBamborough · 11/06/2023 19:26

afrenchmum · 11/06/2023 18:52

@Mummy08m my dad is French and mum English, realised my username is possibly misleading now come to think of it, just couldn’t think of something else at the time! I just seem to like French names but would be open to English ones too I guess. Jude has been another contender, it just seems to be super popular at the moment!

Beau isn't a French name though. Being called Beau won't be much fun if he actually wants to spend any time in France because most French people will think it is a ridiculous name.

Jacques is OK but a bit of an old man name.

I would choose Miles.

Original poster

afrenchmum · 11/06/2023 19:23

*in reality. @AgentProvocateur I think you’ve been saying it right! It definitely has a soft J sound at least.

OP posts:

Original poster

afrenchmum · 11/06/2023 19:21

@NameChange30 I get Jacques has a soft j but I’m reality I assume most people in England would just pronounce is Jacks as would we too.

Other names we have toyed with are Jude, Jack, and Rafe.

OP posts:

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