This is a bit of a strange post and I haven’t seen any like it before. I’m a young person in the process of coming out as transgender (female to male) and will therefore be going by a new, male, name. I am not in a position to ask my my family for help with deciding a new name and thought here would be a good place for advice. Also, the name I would have been given if I were born male, [name_m]Jack[/name_m], was given to a younger family member so is not an option either.
I have gone by the nickname ‘[name_m]Bo[/name_m]’ (a shortening of my birth-name) with close family for most of my life and recently have been using it as my given name so will probably continue to use a version of this (or a longer version of it) through my transition. I am also planning to have [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] as a middle name as it would have been my middle name if I were born male.
I have two brothers called [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] [name_m]Richard[/name_m] & [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]Anthony[/name_m] and am planning to have a name that goes as well as it can with theirs. However, I worry ‘[name_m]Bo[/name_m]’ doesn’t.
So my question is, with this information and simply general preference, which do you prefer
[name_m]Bo[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] or [name_m]Beau[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
Or possibly a longer name that ‘[name_m]Bo[/name_m]’ can be a nn for?
Sorry if this isn’t an appropriate place to post this, just in need of some help at this stage in my life.
I prefer [name_m]Beau[/name_m], and it can be short for Beauregarde or Beaumont. And no worries, this is an appropriate place as any to post. Best of luck in your transition.
Well, honestly, I think [name_m]Bo[/name_m] can be a nickname for anything. It’s like [name_u]Sonny[/name_u] or [name_m]Buster[/name_m]. Your brothers’ names are very classic, and I would choose something just as classic for your new name. [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]? Or maybe [name_m]John[/name_m], since [name_m]Jack[/name_m] is taken?
I live in the south ([name_f]Florida[/name_f]) and here, I have mostly seen the name [name_m]Beau[/name_m] spelled that way (less often [name_m]Bo[/name_m]).
Formal names for [name_m]Bo[/name_m] or [name_m]Beau[/name_m] include:
[name_m]Beauregard[/name_m]
Beauford
Beaumont
[name_m]Bodhi[/name_m]
[name_m]Bowen[/name_m]
[name_m]Boden[/name_m]
[name_m]Booker[/name_m]
Perhaps the best solution, to match the style of your brothers’ names, would be to go with intials: [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m] [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] ([name_m]BO[/name_m]) or something similar.
I like [name_m]Beau[/name_m] better than [name_m]Bo[/name_m], if you were to just go by the shortened version.
If you are partial to the [name_m]Bo[/name_m] spelling, it could be short for [name_m]Robert[/name_m]/[name_m]Bob[/name_m] or maybe [name_m]Bodhi[/name_m] (although [name_m]Bodhi[/name_m] isn’t classic like your brothers’ names). I think [name_m]Robert[/name_m] nn [name_m]Bo[/name_m] would be nice.
Did you know that “[name_m]Bo[/name_m]” [name_m]Jackson[/name_m] is actually [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] [name_m]Edward[/name_m] [name_m]Jackson[/name_m]?
[name_m]Just[/name_m] had a thought: I was a golden girls fan (you’re probably too young), but that show had an actress named Bea Arthur (loved her). Anyway, just wanted to throw that out there because it’s visually very similar to [name_m]Beau[/name_m]
I would go with the [name_m]Bo[/name_m] spelling, as @collmcc523 mentioned, because of [name_f]Bea[/name_f] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m].
I think [name_m]Bo[/name_m] really could come from any “B” name, but [name_m]Bo[/name_m] by itself is just fine.
By the way, we have a couple of transfolks on this forum and I’ve seen at least one parent post about finding a new name for her trans child, so you’re not alone. Congratulations on your coming out; as a gay man, I know what a tough experience that can be and how much bravery it often takes.
Looking at [name_m]Beau[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m], all I can see is [name_f]Bea[/name_f] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] (former [name_u]Golden[/name_u] Girls actress). I’ve noticed a few people have commented on this too.
I’m struggling to settle on a decision between ‘[name_m]Bo[/name_m]’ and ‘[name_m]Beau[/name_m]’ but I’m interested in the idea of having the initials [name_m]BO[/name_m] and keeping it is a nickname. Does anyone have any ‘B’ name suggestions to go with [name_m]Henry[/name_m] or [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] - possibly mn [name_m]Oscar[/name_m]. I can think of [name_u]Bailey[/name_u], which is a family name? [name_u]Bailey[/name_u] [name_m]Oscar[/name_m].
I am also drawn to [name_m]Bodhi[/name_m], even more so because of the meaning, but worry as I’m not Buddhist if it is appropriate for me to use.
Also, I’m not too bothered by the [name_f]Bea[/name_f] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] reference as mostly people will see my first name and surname - and also I am too young to have watched the programme! Thanks for the heads up though
I like these with nn [name_m]Bo[/name_m]
[name_m]Bowen[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Baron[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Boden[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Byron[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
I also just like [name_m]Beau[/name_m] has first name. I wouldn’t make the [name_f]Bea[/name_f] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] connection, especially since on paper you would most likely be writing your first and last name only.
As an aside, my dad is [name_m]Bernard[/name_m] and is called [name_m]Bo[/name_m].
I like the nickname [name_m]Bo[/name_m], as you can imagine but my first thought when I saw [name_m]Beau[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] was [name_f]Bea[/name_f] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m].
BUT as the previous post said, you will usually be just [name_m]Beau[/name_m] Your-last-name-here. If [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] means something
to you, by all means use it with [name_m]Beau[/name_m].
I think [name_m]Beau[/name_m] is a great name on its own (my brother is a [name_m]Beau[/name_m]). I prefer that spelling to avoid the body odor connotation of [name_m]Bo[/name_m]. Like others have said, [name_m]Beau[/name_m] can really be a nickname for any name with B. I do like [name_m]Boden[/name_m] and Bohdi but neither are classic like your brothers. Good luck!
I vote [name_m]Bo[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m]. Your brothers have classic names but [name_m]Bo[/name_m] seems to me like it’s in the same era. Besides, since you’re a bit older it might not matter as much if your name doesn’t match perfectly with your siblings. It’s not like all three of you are going to be on the swings at the park anymore!
I think [name_m]Bo[/name_m] is a nice strong name that will carry you through life nicely. I think that you could choose any long form of [name_m]Bo[/name_m] that you wanted for legal documents: [name_m]Robert[/name_m] would match with your brothers’ classic names well if that’s important to you.
I don’t think [name_m]Bodhi[/name_m] is off-limits if you’re not a buddhist. I wouldn’t expect someone named [name_f]Indira[/name_f] to automatically practice Hinduism, either.
Congratulations on your coming out; as a gay man, I know what a tough experience that can be and how much bravery it often takes.