There are a few UK place-names and family names which contain the French element beau or bel, meaning “beautiful”. Some of these names have acquired a somewhat surprising pronunciation over the years.
Beauchamp = ˈbiːtʃəm
Beaulieu = ˈbjuːli
Belvoir= ˈbiːvə
Beaufort = ˈbəʊfət is not quite as strange.
2013_08_23