David Bowie was a lot of things to a lot of people. He was Ziggy Stardust, a soul singer in a mustard suit, a goblin king with questionable hair, and a high-art pioneer. But behind the glitter and the persona changes, people often wonder about the man behind the mask. Specifically, did David Bowie have kids? Yes. He did.
Most fans know the names, but the stories of how he raised them—and how his approach to fatherhood shifted drastically between the 1970s and the 2000s—tell us more about the "real" David Jones than any stage performance ever could. He had two children, born nearly thirty years apart. Their lives couldn't have been more different.
The Birth of Zowie Bowie and the 70s Chaos
In 1971, David and his first wife, Mary Angela Barnett (better known as Angie Bowie), welcomed their son. They named him Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones. At the time, David was right on the cusp of global superstardom. It was a weird era. He even wrote the song "Kooks" for Duncan, a charming, acoustic tune that basically warned the kid that his parents were a bit eccentric and that he should probably just hang on for the ride.
Honestly, "eccentric" was an understatement.
The marriage between David and Angie was notoriously volatile and open. By the time Duncan was nine, the couple divorced. In a move that was somewhat rare for the time—especially for a touring rock star—David fought for and won full custody of Duncan.
Duncan grew up mainly in the care of his father and a beloved Scottish nanny named Marion Skene. While Bowie was battling heavy drug addiction in the mid-70s (the infamous "Thin White Duke" period in Berlin), he still managed to remain the primary stable force in Duncan’s life.
From Zowie to Duncan
Imagine being a kid in the 80s named Zowie Bowie. It’s a lot to carry.
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As he got older, Duncan dropped the "Zowie" moniker entirely. He went by "Joe" for a while before finally settling back on his birth name, Duncan Jones. He didn’t follow his dad into music, which was probably a smart move. Instead, he became a critically acclaimed film director. If you’ve seen the sci-fi masterpiece Moon (2009) or Source Code, you’ve seen his work.
He managed to build a massive career entirely on his own merits. Most people watching Moon in theaters didn't even realize the director was the son of one of the greatest rock stars in history. That’s a testament to the grounded upbringing Bowie eventually provided. They were incredibly close until David’s death in 2016. Duncan was actually the one who broke the news to the world on Twitter, sharing a heartbreaking photo of himself as a baby sitting on his father's shoulders.
Lexi Zahra Jones: The Miracle of the Later Years
After the chaos of the 70s and the stadium-filling heights of the 80s, Bowie settled down. He met the supermodel Iman in 1990. It was a "love at first sight" deal for David, though Iman later joked it took her a little longer to be sure.
They married in 1992. For years, they tried to have a child.
In 2000, Alexandria "Lexi" Zahra Jones was born. This changed everything. If Duncan’s childhood was marked by his father's rising fame and personal struggles, Lexi’s childhood was marked by his privacy and domesticity.
Bowie basically retired from the "Rock Star" lifestyle to be a dad. He walked her to school in New York City. He helped with homework. He became a "stay-at-home" father in many ways, especially after his heart attack in 2004. He turned down massive tour offers just to be there for her.
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A Life Out of the Spotlight
Unlike many celebrity kids today who are pushed into the "nepo baby" limelight, Lexi was kept remarkably private. Iman and David were fiercely protective.
Today, Lexi is an artist. She lives a relatively low-key life in Los Angeles and New York, occasionally sharing throwbacks of her father on Instagram. You can see the resemblance—she has that same piercing gaze and artistic soul. But she isn't chasing the charts. She isn't trying to be the "next Bowie."
It seems David’s greatest achievement in his later years wasn't an album, but ensuring his daughter had a normal, grounded life despite his status as a global icon.
The Misconceptions About Bowie's Family
People often assume that because Bowie was so "out there," he must have been a distant or bizarre parent.
The reality is actually the opposite.
Sources from his inner circle, like his long-time assistant Coco Schwab, have often noted that Bowie’s private life was surprisingly orderly. He was a bookworm. He was a father who cared deeply about education. There were rumors for years about other children, but none have ever been substantiated. David was a man of many masks, but as a father, he seemed to only have one: the protector.
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Some fans get confused about the "Bowie" name. It’s important to remember that Bowie was a stage name. His real name was David Robert Jones. That’s why his children carry the surname Jones. It was his way of separating the public myth from the private man.
What This Tells Us About the Legend
Looking at the lives of Duncan and Lexi, we see a side of Bowie that the music videos don't show. We see a man who learned from the mistakes of his youth.
With Duncan, he was a young man trying to figure out how to be a father while the world was screaming his name. With Lexi, he was a man who knew exactly who he was and chose to put his family first.
He didn't just have kids; he was a parent.
There's a big difference.
He left behind a massive estate for them, including his extensive art collection and the rights to his music, but more importantly, he left them with enough privacy to become their own people.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Researchers
If you're looking to understand the "Dad" side of David Bowie better, there are a few places you should look that go beyond the standard biographies.
- Watch Duncan Jones’ interviews: Specifically around the release of Moon. He speaks candidly about his father's influence on his creative process without leaning on his fame.
- Follow Lexi Zahra Jones on social media: She often shares rare, personal photos that show the quiet, domestic side of David in his final decade.
- Read "Bowie" by Wendy Leigh: While some find it controversial, it provides a deep look into his relationship with Angie and the early years of raising Duncan.
- Check out Iman’s interviews: She frequently discusses how David’s priority shifted entirely to his family after Lexi was born, providing a glimpse into their life in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan.
David Bowie’s legacy is often measured in record sales and fashion trends. But if you look at the success and stability of his children, you realize his most impressive "reinvention" was becoming a devoted father. He took the "Kooks" advice he wrote in 1971 and, against all odds, made a beautiful, functional family out of it.