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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Bowie, Bowie or Bowie

64 replies

BurrSir · 02/04/2019 15:13

How would you pronounce it? Would you pronounce it differently for a boy or a girl?

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feelingverylazytoday · 05/04/2019 14:22

Well if we're talking middle names ...
How about Zowie Bowie Ziggy Moon Unit? I think that covers all the bases.

PuppyMonkey · 05/04/2019 13:59

She could have Bowie as a middle name Biscuit. Grin

BiscuitDrama · 05/04/2019 13:46

The dog photo helps. Most threads would benefit from a dog photo. Here’s mine. She’s not called Bowie though.

PuppyMonkey · 05/04/2019 13:41

Bowie is my dog’s name - we pronounce it Bowie to rhyme with Zoe. Here he is now, for info:

Bowie, Bowie or Bowie
feelingverylazytoday · 05/04/2019 13:31

There's nothing snobby about saying a surname (and one that isn't clear how to pronounce) isn't a particularly nice name to give to a baby.
Most people in the Uk will associate it with David Bowie, seeing as he is the only famous British person with that name.
I am a fan personally, even so if I wanted to honour his memory I would use his beautiful given name 'David' , meaning 'beloved', a name that has been give to countless babies since biblical times.

breadzeb · 04/04/2019 21:34

I know a baby Bowie (girl) and it really does suit her.

Some awful snobs on here today.

Ironically you are the first person to post on here today Grin

Thankssomuch · 04/04/2019 21:33

Don’t be daft.

SoupDragon · 04/04/2019 21:28

Of course it doesn't "suit" her. It's just her name. She'd "suit" any name because that would be the name you know her by. What specific characteristics suit the name "Bowie"?

CarmineStarman · 04/04/2019 21:19

I know a baby Bowie (girl) and it really does suit her. Some awful snobs on here today.

Also, I have a Welsh name that quite a few people pronounce wrong. Even if we ignore the fact that most people find out my name after I say it out loud to them, this is the "lifetime of misery" that I've been subjected to.
Person: Hello, X, is it?
Me: No, Y.
Person: Ah, sorry X, anyway yadayadayada

SassyBadger · 03/04/2019 14:22

It's gone very B List. One of Take That has a child called Bowie. Talk about cheapening the great man's name! Grin

feelingverylazytoday · 03/04/2019 14:03

David Bowie also said there was a Scottish pronounciation of Boo - ie, which some Americans used as well. Perhaps that's how Jim Bowie's name was pronounced.

Maryjoxk · 03/04/2019 12:00

Boe-ee

SauvingnonBlanketyBlanc · 03/04/2019 09:53

Awful name sorry

mummywingingit · 03/04/2019 08:53

@Trekkingbeyond I've done it my whole life and it has never bothered me!!! Up to me what o name my child and everyone who asked his name when born loves it....

helpmum2003 · 03/04/2019 08:11

Middle name would be safer...

mclaleli · 03/04/2019 08:02

David Bowie pronounced it both ways, several times.

Trekkingbeyond · 03/04/2019 07:04

mummywingingit I wonder how your son feels about continually having to correct people's pronounciation of his name Hmm

Tavannach · 03/04/2019 03:11

David Bowie pronounced it like tie a bow.
[[
m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Udrvt5cvzc "Bowie"]]
I've also seen him interviewed, by Jeremy Pacman I think, where they discussed the different pronunciations and he still said it like tie a bow Bowie.

Fridasrage · 03/04/2019 02:57

Like to tie a bow!

I think it's cute and bold but some of these comments... lol.

mummywingingit · 03/04/2019 02:35

Oh and I would pronounce it as Bow-e (hair bow)
People ask us all the time how to pronounce our surname as can be said in two different ways like this name, we tell them and they soon get the hang of it 😂

mummywingingit · 03/04/2019 02:28

I think it's lovely!! I liked this name but it didn't go with our surname. My son has an unusual name too that people ask us to pronounce, and it's not a problem.
Call your child what you like love

feelingverylazytoday · 02/04/2019 23:37

You could always ask Angie Bowie, OP. She seems to be the only person who calls themselves that. I believe she's on twitter and facebook.

FamilyOfAliens · 02/04/2019 23:03

Please tell us you’re not thinking of it for an actual name for an actual child, OP.

mclaleli · 02/04/2019 23:00

Even his own son Zowie, renamed himself Duncan Jones!

Duncan didn't rename himself - he was Duncan from birth.

Bumblebeesmum · 02/04/2019 22:49

Awful name - sounds like a sort of cutsie dog name
But I’m very unfashionable in many ways

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