Beau
Boy name · #60 in 2025 · Very well-known
How old is the name Beau? In official American birth records, Beau has been tracked continuously since 1932, giving it 93 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 5,165 baby boys were named Beau, placing it at #60 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #203, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 348 boys born in 2025 was named Beau.
The 93-year story
Beau first appears in the Social Security records in 1932, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 5,165 babies and a rank of #60. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Beau per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Beau against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Beau in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Beau is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Beau is most common
Geography matters for names, and Beau is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Beau is most common in WY (13 per 1,000), SD (11 per 1,000), MT (8.8 per 1,000), ME (7.8 per 1,000), ND (7.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 3.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Beau is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Beau
Statistically, parents drawn to Beau tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Brooks, Rowan, Enzo, Bennett, and Waylon.
BrooksRowanEnzoBennettWaylonWestonSilasGael
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Beau | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,165 | #60 |
| 2024 | 4,704 | #69 |
| 2023 | 4,100 | #81 |
| 2022 | 3,958 | #90 |
| 2021 | 3,815 | #94 |
| 2020 | 3,344 | #109 |
| 2019 | 2,933 | #132 |
| 2018 | 2,598 | #151 |
| 2017 | 2,511 | #157 |
| 2016 | 2,125 | #188 |
| 2015 | 1,980 | #203 |
| 2014 | 1,634 | #230 |
| 2013 | 1,300 | #272 |
| 2012 | 1,069 | #310 |
| 2011 | 852 | #352 |
| 2010 | 766 | #375 |
| 2009 | 751 | #397 |
| 2008 | 749 | #396 |
| 2007 | 691 | #422 |
| 2006 | 624 | #437 |
| 2005 | 646 | #416 |
| 2004 | 649 | #402 |
| 2003 | 612 | #420 |
| 2002 | 452 | #504 |
| 2001 | 453 | #504 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Beau?
In official American birth records, the name Beau first appeared in 1932 (over 93 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 93 years.
Is Beau a popular boy name?
Beau ranked #60 among boys in 2025 with 5,165 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #203.
When was the name Beau most popular?
Beau peaked in 2025, when 5,165 American boys received the name (ranked #60 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Beau?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 348 newborn American boys was named Beau. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.