Baby Name of the Day: Isabeau

The baby name Isabeau blends a medieval vibe with classic roots.

Thanks to Bo for inspiring our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME ISABEAU MEAN?

We all think of Elizabeth as an evergreen classic – and that’s true.

But it doesn’t mean the name has always existed in exactly that form.

The Hebrew Elisheva means “my God is an oath.” It first appears in the Old Testament.

Elisheva became the Greek Elisabet. Some suggest that the Spanish interpreted the name as El Isabet. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources suggests it was an Old Provençal form that quickly spread in use. 

In any case, we find Isabel, Ysabel and yes, Isabeau, throughout the Middle Ages. In Renaissance Italy, you might even stumble on an Isabetta. Dozens of other choices were heard across Europe.

ISABEAU IN THE HISTORY BOOKS

Isabeau of Bavaria was the wife of King Charles VI of France. They married in 1385.

Born into the German House of Wittlesbach with an Italian mother from Milan, Isabeau became unusually powerful for a medieval queen consort. She acted on her husband’s behalf during his long illnesses.

But Charles’ illness opened the door for all manner of medieval machinations, and Isabeau eventually lost power. She was slandered and dismissed in the popular imagination later in life, described as power-hungry, extravagant, and worse. More recent scholarship has clarified that such accounts were propaganda from the opposition. Isabeau was ultimately signed the Treaty of Troyes, giving the French crown to Henry V of England during the Hundred Years’ War. Ultimately, Isabeau’s youngest son regained the throne and reigned as King Charles VII – the Victorious. 

It’s worth noting that some official records called her Elisabeth, so perhaps Isabeau was more of a nickname or just a preferred vernacular form. 

But she wasn’t alone. Other notable figures include:

• Isabeau of Melun, who married Peter, Count of Dreux, in 1341
• 15th century noblewoman Isabeau of Brittany
• In 1616, the name appears in the records of a Belgian witch trial

“La belle Isabeau” started out as a medieval troubaour’s song. Hector Berlioz formalized it in the mid-1800s. French-Canadian folk song “Isabeau S’y Promène” is another example.

She was far from the first Isabeau in the historical record. Aristocractic Isabeaus can be found throughout Medieval France, several of them born well before Charles VI took a bride. In the late 1100s, “Belle Isabeau” was a popular troubadour’s song.

The name continues to appear in the French-speaking world into relatively recent history.

BUT BEAU IS A BOY’S NAME

In French, beautiful translates to beau or belle. The former applies to all things masculine; the latter, feminine.

It’s antiquated now, but somehwere between the medieval queen of France and popular names of the 21st century, beau could also refer to a boyfriend or a suitor. Beaux for more than one beau.

Because plenty of French surnames include Beau, it’s been around as a nickname for ages, too. Beauregard means “beautiful view.” The feminine form is in use, too. Belleville translates to “beautiful place.”  

So Beau has plenty of history as a solidly masculine word – but none of it can erase the historical use of Isabeau for girls.

20th & 21st CENTURY PROMINENCE

Pietro Mascagni chose the name for the heroine of his 1911 opera Isabeau, based on the medieval legend of Lady Godiva.

Authors have used the name to signify a work’s medieval setting ever since. The 1985 film Ladyhawke features Michelle Pfeiffer as Isabeau d’Anjou, cursed to assume the form of a hawk during daylight, while her beloved is a wolf by night. Kate Forsyth’s Witches of Eileanan series features an Isabeau.

2007’s Season Four of reality weight-loss competition The Biggest Loser included an Isabeau.

Most recently, Deborah Harkness penned A Discovery of Witches and two follow-up novels in the All Souls Trilogy. It became a successful television series from 2018 to 2022. While at Oxford, historian Diana Bishop happens to meet a fellow academic named Matthew Clairmont. The twist? She’s a (reluctant, not-really-practicing) witch and Matthew is a many-centuries-old, aristocratic vampire. 

Romance – and drama – follow. Diana eventually meets Matthew’s family, including his many-centuries-old, aristocratic vampire mother, Ysabeau de Clermont. Scottish actress Lindsay Duncan played the part. 

But now the baby name Isabeau is back in the spotlight, thanks to figure skater Isabeau Levito. The American athlete, born in 2007, was named for Michelle Pfeiffer’s character in 1985’s Ladyhawke. 

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME ISABEAU?

It’s not just the figure skater.

The first time the baby name Isabeau appears in US popularity data was 1987. It was given to six girls.

It’s been in sparing use as a girl’s name ever since. 

Even as Isabella has become a Top Ten staple, Isabeau has yet to break into the Top 1000 – or come anyhwere close. Peak usage was the year 2018, with 24 births. As of 2024, just eight girls were named Isabeau.

In 2024, six girls were named Ysabeau, marking that spelling’s debut in the US data.

Perhaps the figure skater could inspire a few more. Or the book series will continue to influence parents.

Overall, though? The baby name Isabeau is powerfully rare.

MEDIEVAL MEETS MODERN

Overall, this might be the perfect choice for parents straddling medieval style and modern sensibility. It’s a nod to evergreen Elizabeth, vaguely familiar in a generation of girls named Isabella.

We’re wild about O ending names, from traditional Margot to modern Willow. 

The baby name Isabeau is surprising, but not new – a mix of the distant past and our current moment.

What do you think of the baby name Isabeau?

First published on January 24, 2009, this post was updated on January 20, 2026.