Zowie

♀ Girl

Pronounced ZOH-ee /ˈzoʊ.i/Medium

Meaning: A bright elaboration of Zoe, from the Greek for 'life'; the playful -wie spelling gives it a wink. Musician David Bowie famously named his son Zowie.Low

In 30 seconds: A playful take on Zoe: Zowie carries 'life' with an extra wink (said 'ZOH-ee'). Bright, breezy, and modern.

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Origin LowEnglish, Greek

MeaningA bright elaboration of Zoe, from the Greek for 'life'; the playful -wie spelling gives it a wink. Musician David Bowie famously named his son Zowie.

U.S. rank (2024)#17651 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2003

Total births (all-time)≈ 806

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Zowie reworks Zoe, the Greek for 'life,' into a breezy, playful spelling. It reads modern and cheerful, best known as the childhood name of David Bowie's son. Rare in the U.S. (said 'ZOH-ee').

It appears only rarely for girls in the U.S. Rare, bright, and upbeat.

Did you know? Zowie is a lively respelling of Zoe ('life') -- and a piece of pop trivia: David Bowie named his son Zowie in 1971. Bright and playful (said 'ZOH-ee').

Overall data confidence 36%

References -- Zowie — Zoe elaboration; 'life'; David Bowie's son Zowie

Variations

ZoeZoeyZowey

Nicknames

ZoZowie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Zowie…

Zoe— the name it springs from

Zoey— a like spelling of Zoe

Chloe— a like bright Greek pick

Phoebe— a like sunny Greek name

Explore names like Zowie

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Zowie mean?

Zowie is a playful respelling of Zoe, from the Greek for 'life.'

How do you pronounce Zowie?

It's said ZOH-ee /ˈzoʊ.i/ -- two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Zowie a boy or girl name?

Zowie is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Zowie?

Zowie is an extremely rare, newly emerging name in the U.S.