What is "bulaq"

Bulaq (also spelled Boulaq and Bulak); ‎, is a district of Cairo, Egypt. It neighbours Downtown Cairo, Azbakeya, and the River Nile. There are claims that the name Boulaq comes from the French 'Beau Lac', which literally means 'Beautiful Lake', however, the name is much older than the period of French influence starting in the late 18th century.