Bowe
An English surname derived from the Old French word "bouvier" meaning herdsman.
Name Census estimates that about 173 living Americans carry the first name Bowe. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bowe today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bowe births was 2014 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bowe. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
173
~ 1 in 1,981,239 Americans
Peak year
2014
17 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,871
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Bowe: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Bowe from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 87 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Bowe remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bowe by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Bowe during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Bowe
The name Bowe is believed to have originated from the Old English word "boga," which means "bow" or "archer." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone who was skilled in archery or worked as a bowyer, a maker of bows.
The earliest recorded use of the name Bowe dates back to the 13th century in England. It was during this period that surnames began to emerge, often derived from occupations, locations, or personal characteristics. The name Bowe likely arose as a descriptive surname for someone associated with the bow and arrow.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Bowe was John Bowe, a prominent English archer who lived in the late 14th century. He was renowned for his skill with the longbow and participated in several military campaigns during the Hundred Years' War between England and France.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Richard Bowe was a prominent English scholar and theologian. He was born in 1499 and served as the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, from 1548 until his death in 1567.
Another historical figure with the name Bowe was John Bowe, an English Puritan minister who lived in the 17th century. He was born in 1609 and served as a pastor in various parishes in England before emigrating to New England in 1638, where he continued his ministry.
In the 18th century, a significant figure bearing the name Bowe was Thomas Bowe, an English engraver and painter. He was born in 1718 and is best known for his engravings of landscapes and architectural subjects, as well as his paintings of portraits and historical scenes.
During the 19th century, a notable individual with the name Bowe was William Bowe, an Australian explorer and surveyor. He was born in 1802 and played a crucial role in the exploration and mapping of various regions in New South Wales and Queensland, contributing significantly to the understanding of the Australian landscape.
While the name Bowe has its roots in Old English, it has been used across various cultures and regions throughout history. These examples showcase the diverse individuals who have carried this name, from archers and scholars to ministers, artists, and explorers, reflecting the rich tapestry of human experiences associated with this distinctive moniker.
People
Bowe + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bowe as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bowe: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bowe?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 173 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bowe going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,981,239 US residents.
Is Bowe a common name?
We classify Bowe as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 175 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bowe most popular?
The single biggest year for Bowe was 2014, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bowe is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Bowe a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bowe in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.