This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance: Name: Bowie – Meaning: fair-haired, yellow-haired (Scottish Gaelic branch); alternatively, descendant of the victorious one (Irish branch) – Origin: Irish/Scottish Gaelic (surname) – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: BOH-ee (David Bowie: BOH-ee; Jim Bowie: BOO-ee)
Bowie traces back to an Irish and Scottish Gaelic surname, and its meaning splits along those two branches: in the Scottish Gaelic line it means "fair-haired" or "yellow-haired," while in the Irish branch it's read as "descendant of the victorious one." That gives parents two different stories behind the same name, depending on which root they want to lean into.
Meaning & Origin of Bowie
Meaning: Fair-haired, yellow-haired (Scottish Gaelic branch); alternatively, descendant of the victorious one (Irish branch).
Origin: Irish/Scottish Gaelic (surname).
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Bowie
Phonetic: BOH-ee (David Bowie: BOH-ee; Jim Bowie: BOO-ee) IPA: /ˈboʊi/
Popularity of Bowie
Bowie hit its high point in 2021, ranking #951 with 237 babies given the name that year, and has since eased back to #1206 in 2024 with a count of 167.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1920–2024.
Make Bowie Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Bowie, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Bowie mean?
Fair-haired, yellow-haired (Scottish Gaelic branch); alternatively, descendant of the victorious one (Irish branch). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Bowie)
How do you pronounce Bowie?
Bowie is pronounced BOH-ee (David Bowie: BOH-ee; Jim Bowie: BOO-ee) (IPA: /ˈboʊi/).
Is Bowie a popular name right now?
Bowie peaked at #951 in 2021 and is ranked #1206 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1920–2024.)
📊 How popular is Bowie? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
🎨 Get Printable Name Art for Bowie
Beautiful nursery-ready 8×10" print with name & meaning
Preview & Download →More Baby Name Inspiration
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
