The story behind Bo
Either borrowed from modern Danish Bo or Swedish Bo, or a spelling variant of the male given name Beau.
Other language forms and explanations (1)
Swedish entry
From Old Norse Búi (“dweller, long-time resident”), originally a medieval byname.
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): B OW1
Regional pronunciation variants
- Swedish: /buː/
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Bo ranked #4570 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Bo
Theo
Short form of Theodore, or of the rare given names Theobald, Theophilus or Theodoric, or of Theodora. From French Théo.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Bond
* As an English occupational surname, from the noun bond, bondman, reinforced by Old Norse bóndi (“peasant, farmer”). Also as a variant of Band. * As a Swedish surname, variant…
- Gender
- neutral
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends D
- same syllable count
- similar length
Bảo
Sino-Vietnamese word from 保, or Sino-Vietnamese word from 寶.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Búi
From Old Norse Búi, from búi (“dweller”), from búa (“to dwell”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends I
- same syllable count
- similar length
Cleo
Shortened from Cleopatra or a variant of Clio. The rare male name derives from names of Ancient Greek origin such as Cleon and Cleopas.
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Clio
From the Ancient Greek Κλειώ (Kleiṓ). The award and car model were named after the goddess. From Ancient Greek Κλειώ (Kleiṓ).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Bo
Ada
Short form of Germanic names beginning with adal (“noble”), such as Adelaide. Also Latinized form of Hebrew Adah. The programming language takes its name from Ada Lovelace. a…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Adel
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *aþalaz. The female name is a rare variant of Adele. The surname is borrowed from German Adel. Variant of Adil, from Arabic عَادِل (ʕādil).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Ari
Of the first sense, derives directly from Hebrew: אֲרִי (arí, “lion”); compare Yiddish: לייב (leyb, “Leib”), English: Leo, Leon, French: Léo, Léon, Czech: Lev, Polish: Lew,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends I
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Bo
Ada
Short form of Germanic names beginning with adal (“noble”), such as Adelaide. Also Latinized form of Hebrew Adah. The programming language takes its name from Ada Lovelace. a…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Adel
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *aþalaz. The female name is a rare variant of Adele. The surname is borrowed from German Adel. Variant of Adil, from Arabic عَادِل (ʕādil).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Anne
From French Anne (“Ann”), from Late Latin Anna chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate in reference to Anna…
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection