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AIBU?

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Original poster

To say that 'Beau' is not a girls' name?

244 replies

mrsb26 · 21/01/2016 16:12

Over the past few months, I've come across an increasing number of baby girls named 'Beau.'

Am I wrong on assuming that this is French in origin, meaning 'handsome?' (or the masculine form of beautiful). Surely Belle is then the feminine form?

One was even spelt Beaux. This is the plural, right? The X doesn't make it feminine?!

Idk, maybe people don't really focus on definitions of names. Just found it a bit odd that it's becoming a bit of a trend.

OP posts:
Roselilly36 · 16/08/2021 06:51

I only know male Beau, popular in the US. Bo for a girl, like Bo Derrick?

Proudboomer · 16/08/2021 07:05

@Roselilly36

I only know male Beau, popular in the US. Bo for a girl, like Bo Derrick?
Bo Derek is really Mary Cathleen Collins. She took the surname Derek from the film director John Derek who left his wife for her when she was 16. They married when she was 19 and him 49 and he reinvented her as the blonde sex symbol Bo Derek.
Paddingtonthebear · 16/08/2021 07:36

I know a few Beau’s and two of them are girls!

PansyWeasley · 16/08/2021 07:57

Zombie thread from 2016

LobotomisedIceSkatingFan · 16/08/2021 08:01

@IndridCold

I read a Josephine Tey book, written in the 1940s, where one of the young women is called Beau, so it's not new I guess. I did think it was unusual at the time though, and I can't say I would choose it myself.
She's called Pamela. She's only nicknamed 'Beau' because her surname is Nash, and 'Beau Nash' was a famous dandy.
Daisydoesnt · 16/08/2021 08:21

I knew a little girl called Michael - after Princess Michael of Kent

How funny - Princess Michael of Kent is her title but it is only the female version of her husbands title, Prince Michael of Kent. It’s the royal equivalent of being called Mrs Fred Jones, or whatever. Her actual name is Marie Christine.

therocinante · 16/08/2021 08:24

YANBU, I know anyone can call their child what they want, but it's just so stupid IMO.

LobotomisedIceSkatingFan · 16/08/2021 09:24

I think Ulrika's Jonsson's daughter is 'Bo'.

Hobbesmanc · 16/08/2021 09:59

Two legendary comic creations share the name Bo (short for Boudicca) - Mrs Overall (both the character and the actress who plays her Bo Beaumont) and the horrendous Bo Turtle in Ab Fab.

Just sharing

Brigante9 · 16/08/2021 10:02

Strikes me as very weird, but I’m a French teacher and my (male) horse is called Beau. On the same yard is Belle, who is of course a mare.

PeachesPumpkin · 16/08/2021 10:04

For those commenting zombie…
It is ok to restart old threads - plenty of people will not have posted first time round and if the topic is still interesting people will post.
I don’t know why people get so het up about posts being resurrected. They often come up on Google searches.

MrsFlinch · 16/08/2021 11:15

I don’t mind Beau so much for either a male or female.

But I once heard of a female child called “Reign-Beau”…..spelled as is, now I did raise an eyebrow at that!

DogFoodPie · 16/08/2021 11:25

I know this is a zombie thread but surely the English pronunciation should be byou as in beautiful.

muddyford · 16/08/2021 11:26

I don't know what's got into modern parents (she says, leaning on her stick wearing her carpet slippers). All the wonderful names, honed over millennia, and we end up with a girl called Beau or a boy called Navy. And then mis-spelt real names such as Johnathan. Setting the poor kids up for a lifetime of explaining.

Gremlinsateit · 16/08/2021 11:30

@IndridCold

I read a Josephine Tey book, written in the 1940s, where one of the young women is called Beau, so it's not new I guess. I did think it was unusual at the time though, and I can't say I would choose it myself.
Beau was her nickname because she was a manly ideal. Massive lesbian not-very-subtext in Miss Pym Disposes.
Gremlinsateit · 16/08/2021 11:37

Oh zombie

LakieLady · 16/08/2021 11:47

@LovelyFriend

YABU - we are all over worrying about the restrictions of fake gender constructs these day dontchaknow?

Just to add to the "list" I know a man called Lauren and a women called Julian.

Julian was a female name in medieval times. There was a religious mystic called Julian of Norwich and she was a woman.
Notimeforaname · 16/08/2021 11:49

know of a little girl named 'piper bleu'
Ugh I see.your piper blue and raise you a 'Piper Indie''
You have to say both names and not just Piper.

Also Bo selecta. Hideous

Helendee · 16/08/2021 11:52

I know a little girl whose name is Boux, pronounced as Beau!

Chloemol · 16/08/2021 12:09

It can be either. Don’t be so damn nasty

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 16/08/2021 12:10

YANBU, but who would want to be called Beau or Bo - the immediate thing that springs to mind is Body Odour?

garlictwist · 16/08/2021 12:12

@maxxytoe

does it really matter ? There's a girl in DS nursery class called James , it suits her
My parents called me James (I am female). I hated it and changed it to a female name as soon as I was old enough.

I found it awful to be assumed to be male and to have people question my name every time I introduced myself. I would not do that to a child.

SusannahSophia · 16/08/2021 12:32

@Hobbesmanc

Two legendary comic creations share the name Bo (short for Boudicca) - Mrs Overall (both the character and the actress who plays her Bo Beaumont) and the horrendous Bo Turtle in Ab Fab.

Just sharing

I know this is a zombie thread, but surely Mrs Overall was played by Julie Walters? @Hobbesmanc
SusannahSophia · 16/08/2021 12:34

Oh, I get it. Mrs Overall was played by Bo Beaumont who was played by Julie Walters! Sorry.

LobotomisedIceSkatingFan · 16/08/2021 12:42

'Bo' was short for 'Boadicea' in the AA behind the scenes thing.