Bowie
How to say it: BOH-ee · /ˈboʊi/
From Scottish Gaelic 'buidhe' meaning 'yellow' or 'fair-haired'. Surname of folk hero Jim Bowie and musician David Bowie.
Bowie was the 1,079th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 281 babies of either sex (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 2.8-fold in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,129 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,079 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 (both sexes) | 281 |
| Share of births | 1 in 11,798 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.8 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,129 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Born to regular use in recent decades, Bowie found its peak in the 2020s. Holding at that high for now, a gentle decline seems likely ahead.
What goes with it
Bright and crisp with creative energy, Bowie moves in quick syllables. Poe and Indie carry a similar energy.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Bowie is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, Irish.
England and Wales: #380. Ireland: #357.
Famous people named Bowie
- Bowie Tsang (born 1973)Taiwanese and Hong Kong actress and singer
- Bowie Wu (born 1932)Hong Kong male actor, programme host, and singer
- Bowie Kuhn (1926–2007)American baseball commissioner
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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