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Baby names

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Original poster

Love ‘Beau’ for a boy but what if he’s not handsome?

107 replies

Lincolnlemons · 16/08/2025 23:01

I’m pregnant with a baby boy and love the name Beau, feels chic without being pretentious. My only worry is that what if DS doesn’t grow up to be conventionally handsome? Feels like a gamble and possibly an opening for bullies when he’s in school? Am I being ridiculous?

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chilliheeler123 · 19/08/2025 15:43

‘Chic’…😅

HugoYorway · 19/08/2025 15:32

Bliss was Jason and Sable Colby's daughter.

Mochudubh · 19/08/2025 07:53

PersephonePomegranate · 17/08/2025 21:32

Sorry, I dont think it sounds chic at all. Reminds of Dynasty and shite, dramatic American TV straight out of the 80s.

Wasn't there a character called Bliss? One of Blake and Alexis's kids that popped up several series in, that no-one had ever mentioned but had been "travelling in Europe" or something for the last 5 years.

She was a wispy blonde as I recall. Even as a teen I remember thinking what if she'd grown up to be built like a brick shithouse with a face like a bag of spanners?

The thought stuck with me and my DC have unremarkable names and turned out just fine. I think there were more Laceys and Chelseas at their school than, say, James and Katie so names parents think are original at birth can be quite common by the time they start school.

Horsie · 19/08/2025 02:45

Limonades · 18/08/2025 22:57

It’s the most masculine name there is - it’s literally the male form of Belle.

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I KNOW. But as I've said multiple times, it looks like the first half of Beautiful. It LOOKS feminine. And when I hear it, I see that feminine-looking spelling. Plus it sounds like Bow, a feminine thing. I really hate it as a name.

Limonades · 18/08/2025 22:57

Horsie · 17/08/2025 20:57

I don't like the name, because it looks like short for "Beautiful." Yes, I know that "beau" is the French for "handsome," but we're not French and it looks as if his full name is Beautiful. Can't imagine how much teasing boys named Beau must get, it's such a feminine name.

It’s the most masculine name there is - it’s literally the male form of Belle.

HugoYorway · 18/08/2025 19:21

Beau for a girl is awful, and jolie laide isn't really a compliment.

Hazelmaybe · 18/08/2025 19:21

Bodhi? Can shorten to Bo? Quite cool

Starbri8 · 18/08/2025 19:10

CurlewKate · 18/08/2025 05:53

That just says you don’t know how languages work.

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Ahh don’t be churlish CurlewKate language is fluid and ever changing , that’s the beauty of it ! I called my girl Beau… I studied French in school and university but my girl simply wasn’t a Belle . In the 19th century a woman would often be described as handsome . “Jolie Laide” uncharacteristically good looking .. but these are semantics it’s just a great name! 🥰

dintyn · 18/08/2025 18:56

Horsie · 18/08/2025 16:09

Another idea: You could choose Bowen, with the nickname Bow or Bo, to get the same sound without the spelling looking as if his full name is Beautiful.

Except everyone would assume you're a hammer or a fan of the Dyers 🙈 (or both😂)

Starbri8 · 18/08/2025 18:53

Lincolnlemons · 17/08/2025 19:27

😂😂😂Yes lots of francophiles on mumsnet!

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Well that’s a polite way of putting it …..😂

HugoYorway · 18/08/2025 16:12

Bowen is pretty awful too. It's 'son of Owen' and he'll be Bo or Bow.

Horsie · 18/08/2025 16:09

Another idea: You could choose Bowen, with the nickname Bow or Bo, to get the same sound without the spelling looking as if his full name is Beautiful.

sanityisamyth · 18/08/2025 12:28

Regularmumm · 16/08/2025 23:23

There’s one at my son’s school but it’s spellt BO.

Poor sod. Body odour will follow him wherever he goes …

Toddlerteaplease · 18/08/2025 11:56

It’s an awful name. Don’t do it!

HugoYorway · 18/08/2025 11:24

That's not a logical comment.
It was a logical comment, @Horsie .
Look it up.

The equivalent would be if it was mainly women who use the word husband, which isn't correct, since men use that word as much as women do.
Not true.

Blondiney · 18/08/2025 09:59

CrumpledBlouse · 18/08/2025 07:18

Her real name is Joanna!

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Hahaha, is it really? Suits her much better 😂

Horsie · 18/08/2025 08:55

ShowOfHands · 18/08/2025 08:47

A beau is also a term that women used to use for their male companions, but it was usually used only by women. Another association with the feminine

This is possibly the most nonsensical comment I've ever read on here. It's like saying women usually refer to their "husbands" and therefore the word husband is feminine.

That's not a logical comment. The equivalent would be if it was mainly women who use the word husband, which isn't correct, since men use that word as much as women do.

My point is that to me, "Beau" has a lot of associations with the feminine. JMO.

FWIW, I do think that Bo sounds cool. The spelling Beau bothers me; it just looks so much like it's short for Beautiful. I'd choose Bodhi and call him Bo if I wanted that sound.

But again, JMO.

Horsie · 18/08/2025 08:50

If people like the Bo sound, I guess they could name a son Bodhi and then use Bo as a nickname. Anything's better than Beau. It just LOOKS so feminine.

ShowOfHands · 18/08/2025 08:47

A beau is also a term that women used to use for their male companions, but it was usually used only by women. Another association with the feminine

This is possibly the most nonsensical comment I've ever read on here. It's like saying women usually refer to their "husbands" and therefore the word husband is feminine.

Horsie · 18/08/2025 08:43

Plus it sounds like Bow, which can be a feminine thing. A beau is also a term that women used to use for their male companions, but it was usually used only by women. Another association with the feminine.

Still, if you had a son called Beau, you could have another son and call him Arrow! 🤣🤣 Beau and Arrow, lol!

Horsie · 18/08/2025 08:38

Plus, it's often short for the name Beauregard. Just when you think it couldn't get any worse than Beau...yeah, I really hate that name! Also someone I dislike immensely called his son Beau, which was exactly what I'd expect from the pretentious prick!

I imagine a little boy named Beau to be dressed in frilly shirts and to have powdered hair! And to be very delicate. 🤣

Horsie · 18/08/2025 08:30

CrumpledBlouse · 18/08/2025 07:57

So, if you think it’s English, are you pronouncing it ‘Bew’ to rhyme with ‘blue’? It’s not French for ‘handsome’, it’s the masculine form of the French for ‘beautiful’, as you’d expect. Which can include ‘handsome’, obviously, but can also refer to the weather or anything gendered masculine in French (which, French being French, includes all kinds of things, including the vagina. ‘Il fait beau aujourd’hui’: it’s a lovely day today. ‘Mon vagin est beau’: my vagina is beautiful.)

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I pronounce it Bow. I just think it's a poncey, feminine-looking name for a boy. We are not French, we are English, and I'd fully expect a boy named Beau to be teased with "Hi, Beautiful!" I can't get past the fact that it looks short for Beautiful.

CrumpledBlouse · 18/08/2025 08:24

PhaseFour · 18/08/2025 08:07

@CrumpledBlouseyes, I appreciate and know that, but as it's being used as a name for a person...people who know or speak French, will have that association. Maybe I speak for only myself, but that's my association when it's being used as a name for a baby. If it's chosen as a name for a girl - it's misplaced. Certainly the mum I know admitted she'd got mixed up and regretted it, but couldn't change it. Everytime someone asked the name of the baby she replied "She's called Beau...it means beautiful in French!"

When someone had the guts to point out the facts to her she was mortified. This was many, many years ago.

I agree!

TryingAgainAgainAgain · 18/08/2025 08:20

TomatoSandwiches · 16/08/2025 23:22

A family member named their dog Beau, he was very average looking for a collie, he was still lovely though.

“very average looking for a collie” has finished me 😂

ACynicalDad · 18/08/2025 08:12

Make his middle name Frankenstein then he has options either way.

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