NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Zowie

An invented name meant to express surprise or amazement.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Zowie is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Zowie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5493, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 8 births.

This profile covers 30 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 1996 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 30 living people in the UK are called Zowie. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2021 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Zowie ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1999, when 8 girls were registered as Zowie.
  • About 30 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zowie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5493

2020

Births in 2020

3

Latest year

Peak year

1999

8 births

Estimated living

30

2026

Meaning

What does Zowie mean?

The name Zowie is believed to have its origins in the English language, emerging in the late 19th century as an exclamation of surprise or excitement. It was likely derived from the earlier slang term "zounds," which was a minced oath or euphemism for "God's wounds," commonly used in the 16th and 17th centuries.

While the name Zowie is not directly linked to any particular cultural or linguistic roots, it gained popularity as a given name during the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries. Its playful and unique sound appealed to parents seeking a distinctive and unconventional name for their children.

One of the earliest recorded instances of Zowie as a given name can be found in the birth records of Zowie Bowie, born in 1971. She was the daughter of renowned musician David Bowie and his wife Angie Bowie. David Bowie reportedly chose the name as a nod to the cosmic and avant-garde elements of his artistic persona.

Another notable figure with the name Zowie was Zowie Broach, an American actress and model born in 1983. She appeared in various television shows and films throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, including the popular sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

In the literary world, Zowie Norris was a character in the novel "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen, published in 2001. The character's name added a touch of whimsy and eccentricity to the narrative.

Beyond these examples, the name Zowie has been relatively uncommon throughout history, often chosen for its distinctiveness and flair. While it may not have deep cultural or linguistic roots, its unique sound and connotations of excitement and surprise have contributed to its enduring appeal as a given name.

It is worth noting that while the name Zowie has been used across various contexts, it has remained a relatively rare and unconventional choice, adding to its individuality and charm for those seeking a truly distinctive name for their children.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Zowie over time

The chart below shows babies named Zowie registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Zowie, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 8 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Zowie
02468199620082020

Decades

Zowie by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zowie was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #5493 3 1
2000s #3442 8 2
1990s #2413 19 3

Related

Names similar to Zowie

FAQ

Zowie: questions and answers

How popular is the name Zowie in the UK right now?

In 2020, Zowie was ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Zowie most popular?

The peak year on record was 1999, with 8 babies registered as Zowie in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Zowie?

An invented name meant to express surprise or amazement.

How many people are called Zowie in the UK?

A total of 30 babies have been registered as Zowie across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.