It’s one of those things that shouldn't be hard. Two syllables. A globally recognized icon. Yet, if you walk into a pub in London or a record store in Brooklyn and mention his name, you’re going to hear a localized civil war. Most people say it like the hunting knife. Some say it like a greeting. Others just mumble it and hope for the best.
How to pronounce David Bowie isn't just a matter of linguistics; it’s a bit of a litmus test for how much of a "real" fan you are, though even the superfans get it twisted.
Let's get the big one out of the way immediately. It rhymes with "Joey."
It doesn't rhyme with "Howie."
If you've been saying "Bow-ie" like a bow and arrow or a bow on a gift, you’ve actually been right this whole time. But if you’ve been saying "Bowie" like a dog saying bow-wow, or Jim Bowie of the Alamo, you’re technically using the Americanized pronunciation of the surname that David Jones specifically chose to distance himself from.
He wasn't Jim. He was David. And he was very particular about that "O."
The Origin of the Name and Why It Matters
David Jones didn’t want to be David Jones. In the mid-1960s, there was already a David Jones—the one who would soon become a Monkee—and our David didn't want the confusion. He needed something sharp. Something that cut through the noise.
He chose the Bowie knife.
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Now, here is where the confusion starts for everyone. Jim Bowie, the historical figure, pronounced his name Boo-ee (like a buoy in the ocean) or Bow-ee (rhyming with "wow-ee"), depending on which part of the South you were in. When David adopted the moniker in 1965, he took the spelling but he didn't necessarily take the phonetics of the Texas legend.
Basically, he hijacked a rugged American name and gave it a polished, British "O."
I remember watching an old clip of him on The Dick Cavett Show back in the 70s. He’s sitting there, looking ethereal, and even then, people were tripping over it. He rarely corrected people because he was polite, or maybe just bored by the question, but in interviews with the BBC and recorded greetings for radio stations, he was consistent.
It is BOH-ee. /'boʊi/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet.
The Knife vs. The Artist
The irony is thick here. The knife is almost universally pronounced BOO-ee in the United States. If you go to a sporting goods store in Texas and ask for a BOH-ee knife, they’ll know what you mean, but they’ll probably think you’re being fancy.
David once explained that the name represented a "medium for a sort of 'ultimate' look." He wanted something that suggested a sharp edge. It’s a bit funny that a man who spent his entire career reinventing himself—from Ziggy Stardust to the Thin White Duke—actually kept a very consistent pronunciation for his professional surname.
He changed his face, his hair, his genre, and his philosophy. He never changed the "O."
Some linguists argue that the confusion persists because of the way "ow" functions in the English language. Think about it. You "mow" the lawn (long O), but you stand at the "prow" of a ship (rhymes with how). We have "slow" and "now." "Crow" and "brow." English is a nightmare of a language that offers zero consistency for the "ow" diphthong, so it’s no wonder that "how to pronounce David Bowie" is still a trending search term years after he left this planet.
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What Did the Man Himself Say?
We have the receipts. In several archived audio clips, David introduces himself.
"Hello, this is David Bowie," he says, clearly rhyming with "snowy."
His wife, Iman, pronounces it the same way. His son, the director Duncan Jones, has also confirmed this is the family pronunciation. If the people who shared his dinner table say it with a long "O," that’s probably the end of the debate.
But honestly? People still argue.
There's this weird subset of fans who insist that because he was "chameleon-like," the pronunciation should be fluid too. That’s a nice poetic sentiment, but it doesn't help when you're trying to not look like an amateur at a dinner party.
Regional Differences Are Real
If you go to the UK, you will almost exclusively hear BOH-ee. The British accent naturally lends itself to that clipped, rounded vowel.
In the United States, specifically in the South and Midwest, the BAU-ee (rhyming with "wow") pronunciation is incredibly stubborn. This is largely because of the aforementioned Jim Bowie. If you grew up learning about the Alamo, your brain is hardwired to see those five letters and produce a sound that rhymes with "ploughy."
It’s a regional dialect clash. You've got the British art-rock legacy hitting the American frontier legacy head-on.
Does It Actually Matter?
Kinda.
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In the grand scheme of things, David Bowie was a man who embraced being misunderstood. He played with identity like it was a toy. However, if you're a broadcaster, a podcaster, or just someone who respects the artist, getting the name right is a small gesture of accuracy.
It’s like saying "Porsche." Sure, most people say "Porsh," but the "Porsh-uh" crowd is technically correct. Saying BOH-ee shows you’ve done the homework. It shows you’ve actually listened to the man speak, rather than just reading his name on a poster.
Interestingly, Bowie's birth name, David Robert Jones, is about as simple as it gets. He ran away from simplicity. He chose a name that was destined to be mispronounced, perhaps as one final bit of performance art.
Quick Reference for Getting It Right
If you need a mental shortcut, just think of other famous "Bows."
- Bow and arrow: Correct.
- Rainbow: Correct.
- Elbow: Correct.
- Take a bow: Incorrect.
- The bow of a boat: Incorrect.
It’s the "O" of the soul. The "O" of the "Oh! You Pretty Things."
Actionable Steps for the Proper Fan
Next time you’re talking about Hunky Dory or Low, use the long "O" with confidence. If someone corrects you and says "Actually, it's 'Bau-wie' like the knife," you can gently let them know that David himself disagreed.
Here is how to solidify the habit:
- Watch the 1970s Interviews: Go to YouTube and look up his 1970s chat show appearances. Listen to how the hosts introduce him and how he responds.
- Practice the Rhyme: Pair it with "Joey." "Joey Bowie." It sounds ridiculous, but it sticks in your brain.
- Check the Family: If you're ever in doubt, listen to Duncan Jones (his son) speak. The family name is the ultimate authority.
- Listen to the Radio IDs: There are archives of David recording station IDs for BBC Radio 1. He says his own name perfectly every single time.
Stop worrying about the knife. Forget the Alamo. Embrace the long "O" and you'll be saying the name exactly the way the man who changed music forever wanted it to be heard.