Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Bowie

Bowie

♀ Girl

Pronounced BOH-ee /ˈboʊ.i/Medium

Meaning: YellowMedium

In 30 seconds: Bowie is an English name meaning 'yellow' β€” short, punchy, and gender-open in modern use.
πŸ’• Browse more names
Origin MediumEnglish, Dutch
MeaningYellow
U.S. rank (2025)#1736 β†— Rising
2025 U.S. births117 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2021
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 1,285

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 202120062025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

The record gives Bowie the meaning 'yellow' within the English tradition. It has functioned as a surname long before its rise as a given name; bearers like American baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn and Hong Kong actor Bowie Lam show it carried as a personal name across different eras and places.

Crisp and single-syllable-feeling, Bowie has an easy modern energy that works equally for a girl. Its sound is bright and unfussy, which is much of its appeal as a contemporary pick.

Did you know? Bowie likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Bowie β€” etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration β€” 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

β€”

Nicknames

β€”

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Bowie Kuhn (1926–2007)
    American lawyer who served as the fifth Commissioner of Major League Baseball, from 1969 to 1984.
  • β˜…Bowie Lam (b. 1965)
    Hong Kong actor with the TVB network, known for dramas such as 'Healing Hands' and 'File of Justice'.

If you like Bowie…

Brodyβ€” Another short surname-style name with the same bright, casual modern feel.
Zoeβ€” Shares the compact, punchy sound that makes Bowie work for a girl.
Indieβ€” A similarly fresh, gender-open name with an upbeat ending.
Journieβ€” another modern pick
Laynieβ€” a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Bowie

By thememodernenglishunisexsurname-styledutch

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Bowie mean?

Bowie is usually explained as meaning 'yellow' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Bowie?

It's commonly said BOH-ee /ˈboʊ.i/.

Is Bowie a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Bowie is used as a girl name.

How popular is Bowie?

In 2024, Bowie ranked #1995 in the U.S. for girls, with 98 births recorded.

πŸ’¬ Ask Nia