Bowe

Meaning & origin

Bowe is a rare and modern given name, predominantly used for boys in the United States since the late 20th century. It first appeared in Social Security records in 1977, and its usage has been sporadic, never reaching widespread popularity. The name's peak came in 2014, when it ranked 10,695, with about 1 in 284,679 boys receiving the name in the latest year of data (2025). Since 2015, its frequency has been in decline. Bowe may be considered a respelling or variant of the more familiar Bowie, a surname-turned-first-name famously associated with musician David Bowie. The etymological roots of Bowie are debated, with possible Gaelic or Irish origins. As a given name, Bowe fits a trend of short, one-syllable names with a strong 'o' sound, similar to Beau or Brody. It has not been recorded in the top baby names for any state, reflecting its niche appeal.

Bowe appears to be a modern coinage or a respelling of the surname and given name Bowie, which itself has multiple uncertain origins. Bowie may derive from the Scottish Gaelic 'buidhe' meaning 'yellow' or 'blond,' or from an Irish surname Anglicized from Ó Buadhaigh. Bowe is also used as a short form of names like Bowden. The name saw scattered use in the United States beginning in the late 1970s, with a peak in 2014.