Bowie

Bowie - A very unique male name

Bowie appeared on the charts for the first time in 2004 on position #3762. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Bowie and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Bowie? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Bowie. The baby boy name Bowie was given to 91 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1334 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 16,113 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Bowie peaked in popularity 5 years ago in 2021 on position 975.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Bowie, 1-5?

Bowie is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Bowie is currently topping the baby name charts in Utah at position #517 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,804.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Bowie is where you live.

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Bowie origin and meaning

Scottish — transferred surname

From a Gaelic nickname, buidhe, 'yellow, fair-haired'

Bowie is a Scottish surname — its most famous bearer is David Bowie (born David Jones, 1947–2016), who took it as a stage surname, reportedly after the Bowie knife. As an American boy's first name it appears from 2004 and peaked in 2021, in the musician-tribute naming wave. The Gaelic nickname derivation is the standard account of the surname.

Attested etymology

Bowie is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Bowie, pop culture references for the name Bowie and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Bowie

We've found the following names that sound similar to Bowie, sorted by popularity.

Bobby / Bob / Beau / Bobbie / Bo / Baby / Babyboy / Bee / Boy / Bao /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Bowie

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Bowie a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Bowie?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

BOH-ee · /ˈboʊi/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Bo

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 2004, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

Surname

Why parents choose it

Bowie as a first name is a tribute-flavoured choice — rock-star glamour in a soft, friendly sound. It has eased since 2021 but remains an established niche pick for music-loving families.

Worth knowing

• Everyone will think of David Bowie — and many will say BOW-ee (as in the knife) instead of BOH-ee.
• The namesake chose it as a surname/stage name, so this is an homage, not a traditional first name.