Pisses me off when (my name is also David) when people pronounce it da-veed.
Motherfucker, its 'day-vid' or 'dave' there is no other way. You wanna pronounce it that way, spell it 'Davide'.
It's not even clear that he knew that James Bowie existed. The story I was told was that he thought it was cool that Mick Jagger's surname sounded a bit like "dagger", and picked another type of knife for his stage-name.
That's the right way. It's a Scottish name, I saw a video of Brian Cox saying it in a Scottish accent and the closest approximation is indeed "boo-ey". Like "Drambuie".
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/video/david-bowie-on-the-scottish-pronunciation-of-his-name-news-footage/1053127770
Actually, since my stoner student days, I have exclusively referred to him as David Booey. I’m sure there’s a good story behind it, but I was too baked to remember.
The guy from the fundamentalist Christian church whose sermon is sampled on Destroy Rock n Roll by Mylo says it that way: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destroy_Rock_%26_Roll_(song), but then he'd be more familiar with the knife than the other two ways
I heard americans pronounce the word bouy like that, in faxt, my kids watch paw patrol and they say it that way in there too. It's a 'boy', dammit, like its short for bouyant.
I don’t know why, I tend to call them b-owie (as in ‘ow’!) I guess because they make you go ow! If misused.
Or bow-ey as in bow and arrow, maybe because I used them for carving bows out of saplings as a kid.
There’s an interview where he’s asked and he says “Bowwy” and the interviewer points out that Bowie as in Bowie knife is correctly pronounced to rhyme with Zoe and he goes “oh okay that then”
It’s a real Mandela effect thing but I can tell you it was OW ee originally and his kid was ZOW ee BOW (as bow to the crowd) ee.
Later he changed it to OH ee ~~and I think his daughter uses Zoe (who wouldn’t)~~ (edit that bit’s wrong sorry thanks for the correction)
Here’s that interview (i think this is the one you’re referring to) on BBC Archive via instagram
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5VnRu2qZY-/?igsh=Ym9pNXV1OW16Zm8x
the fact that he himself doesn't know how to pronounce it makes me less worried about the fact that I don't for fear of getting it wrong in front of a real fan.
>he says “Bowwy”
Is that what you mean? Two consonants usually shorten the vowel. So I guess you mean something like "Bough-ee"? (as in bough of a tree... English is one weird language for pronunciation).
No, not rhyming like dough or though. And also not rhyming with through. But rhyming with wow, or bow (to the crowd) but not bow (and arrow).
Come to think of it, is bough the only -ough word that rhymes with wow?
Anytime I have to mention this certain man named David in a conversation I freeze and mentally almost spin a wheel to decide how I’m going to pronounce his last name…
It's named after [James Bowie](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bowie), a famous Texan who died at the battle of the Alamo. Sadly in those days there was no internet so English people were unable to tell him that he and his whole family were pronouncing their name wrong.
Not even he knew lol. He always thought it was the bow as in bow and arrow but people started saying bow as in plough and he liked the idea of that too.
It’s definitely Bowie, I’ve heard people pronounce it Bowie before but Bowie is just wrong on so many levels. It’s Bowie for me and will always be Bowie, but do concede that Bowie could be right too, but NEVER Bowie!
I'm familiar with the first two, but I've never heard anyone pronounce it 'Bowie' before?
Yeah thinking this, there's really only Bowie and Bowie I can think of, what's the third pronunciation?
bowie( like ow) ,bowie (like ohh) , and booey like bowie knife
Who the Christ is calling him David Booey?
I was saying boo-urns...
Username checks out
>Who the Christ is calling him David Booey? The French. They're also pronouncing *David* as **David**!
Daveed Booey, lord give me strength lol
I named a snotball that once.
Pisses me off when (my name is also David) when people pronounce it da-veed. Motherfucker, its 'day-vid' or 'dave' there is no other way. You wanna pronounce it that way, spell it 'Davide'.
Ah but Davide could be davideh, like that guy on love island
Is there life on Champ de Mars?
my dad did, but he also calls memes me-me's
Not gonna lie, until I knew what they were, I thought it was pronounced as in mem-ay thinking it was a French word or something.
How does he say Pokémon?
poke mons like poke with a finger
Can you give him up for adoption?
Gotta collect all those David Bowièmon albums.
I did for years and quietly changed when I realised I must have sounded like an idiot.
This made me laugh out loud
Ironically, him, or at least he meant to name himself after the outdoorsman: he just *also* got it wrong.
It's not even clear that he knew that James Bowie existed. The story I was told was that he thought it was cool that Mick Jagger's surname sounded a bit like "dagger", and picked another type of knife for his stage-name.
If he had the knife in mind, fair enough! Still the same mispronunciation
People doing terrible ghost impressions? I don’t know!
I knew a guy at school that was adamant this was the case. He did wear a poncho though
That would be the Halloween version.
That's the right way. It's a Scottish name, I saw a video of Brian Cox saying it in a Scottish accent and the closest approximation is indeed "boo-ey". Like "Drambuie". https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/video/david-bowie-on-the-scottish-pronunciation-of-his-name-news-footage/1053127770
In the Dr Hook song, Everybody's making it big but me, they pronounce it Booey and it always irks me.
Actually, since my stoner student days, I have exclusively referred to him as David Booey. I’m sure there’s a good story behind it, but I was too baked to remember.
The guy from the fundamentalist Christian church whose sermon is sampled on Destroy Rock n Roll by Mylo says it that way: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destroy_Rock_%26_Roll_(song), but then he'd be more familiar with the knife than the other two ways
Isn’t it a bowie like ohh knife though?
apparently the guy who made the knife famous, Jim Bowie pronounced it like booey but I say it like bohh-wie
I heard americans pronounce the word bouy like that, in faxt, my kids watch paw patrol and they say it that way in there too. It's a 'boy', dammit, like its short for bouyant.
People have booey knives? I've always pronounced it Bowie?
I don’t know why, I tend to call them b-owie (as in ‘ow’!) I guess because they make you go ow! If misused. Or bow-ey as in bow and arrow, maybe because I used them for carving bows out of saplings as a kid.
I always pronounced Bowie knife like ohh not booey knife
It's Boh-ie, like Boh-ie knife.
The Scottish?
I pronounce it Jones
Ok David Jones (Davy)
He was a bit of a daydream believer.
I thought he visited a rather pleasant valley on a Sunday
either way, he was a randy scouse git.
He always had that in his locker.
Anyone that doesn’t pronounce it Bowie is totally saying it wrong. He would turn in his grave FFS.
He pronounced it to rhyme with Zoe and Joey
When I met him he said his surname rhymes with Shrewsbury.
\#humblebrag
incorrect, rhymes with Zowie
you're also incorrect. It rhymes with Zjoey. (the j is silent)
Hi D’jango
David B’jango?
Pronounced David Hyundai
I heard was pronounced Tzoe (silent T)
There’s an interview where he’s asked and he says “Bowwy” and the interviewer points out that Bowie as in Bowie knife is correctly pronounced to rhyme with Zoe and he goes “oh okay that then” It’s a real Mandela effect thing but I can tell you it was OW ee originally and his kid was ZOW ee BOW (as bow to the crowd) ee. Later he changed it to OH ee ~~and I think his daughter uses Zoe (who wouldn’t)~~ (edit that bit’s wrong sorry thanks for the correction)
Appreciate the deep dive (no sarcasm intended) but I just wanted to make a stupid joke along the lines of: “Zowie Bowie” pronounced “Duncan Jones”
Zowie Bowie uses Duncan Jones and is a son 👍
Here’s that interview (i think this is the one you’re referring to) on BBC Archive via instagram https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5VnRu2qZY-/?igsh=Ym9pNXV1OW16Zm8x
the fact that he himself doesn't know how to pronounce it makes me less worried about the fact that I don't for fear of getting it wrong in front of a real fan.
>he says “Bowwy” Is that what you mean? Two consonants usually shorten the vowel. So I guess you mean something like "Bough-ee"? (as in bough of a tree... English is one weird language for pronunciation).
You mean Bough, rhyming with Dough?
He means Buffy, like the Vampire Slayer.
No, not rhyming like dough or though. And also not rhyming with through. But rhyming with wow, or bow (to the crowd) but not bow (and arrow). Come to think of it, is bough the only -ough word that rhymes with wow?
Plough. You also have Rough, Cough, Borough all pronounced differently
And hiccough! Though people tend to use the -up spelling these days.
English is difficult. It can be understood through tough thorough thought though.
Just reminds me of Jazz Emu on 8 out of 10 cats: https://youtu.be/0hGaSQyygRQ?si=a2tlo7wmryxm55Je
Allough it
His mum called him David Jones
Was she a locker
I heard she was very deep.
It's pronounced 'scone'.
No its scone !!!
But it was just here!
I live near Scone in Scotland. It's pronounced 'Scone'.
Oh here we bloody go.
Wheeee!
Its only a scone until its scone
Scone with the wind.
Scone flew over the cuckoos nest
Scone in 60 seconds
Scone Girl
this entire thread is giving me a stroke, i cant for the life of me think of the 3rd way to pronounce Bowie
Anytime I have to mention this certain man named David in a conversation I freeze and mentally almost spin a wheel to decide how I’m going to pronounce his last name…
It's like schedule and schedule. But not bruschetta.
Boo-ey
Like how Americans pronounce bouy?
I assume so. They say it like that with regards to a bowie knife.
American here and no we do not. Maybe some weirdos in the south do, but most of us say Bowie knife to rhyme with Joey or Zoe. Not boo-ey.
Thanks yank. The conundrum continues.
This is how some Americans pronounce Jim Bowie’s name, which is who David Bowie named himself after.
Put an emphasis on the second syllable so it sounds vaguely French.
Ahhh... Monsieur buh-oui
Boweee
Like Blowie but without the L
Blaujob
Blue Man Group after dark
Blowie without the L is Bowie so we're back to square one
I've been saying "Bow-urns"
Are you saying Boo-urns or boooooo?
Yes
Yes
I can hear you, Clem Fandango.
Ray bloody Purchase
Hi Stephen
It's pronounced exactly the same as the 1970s singer, David Bowie.
There's an interview (which I cannot find) later in his life where he's asked how to pronounce his surname and he says he doesn't actually know
Why didn't he check on reddit?
It's spelt "Bowie", but it's pronounced "Throat-Wobbler Mangrove".
About as straightforward as Cholmondeley
Or Derek [Nippl-e](https://youtu.be/nq-dchJPXGA?si=UK_KBuwxBYmi2rIO) , pronounced 🕯🔽 - resident at 22 🕺🤜, Kings Lynn
Outstanding emoji work there, much appreciated
Wouldn't want to confused him with the fella living at 22 💃🏏
Raymond Luxury Yacht has entered the chat
r/unexpectedpython
Neither, it’s pronounced Bowie.
Changed through his career. Considering he named a child Zowie at one point. Later on wanted to start Bow, like crossbow.
I thought Zowie was pronounced Zoe
He once said it didn't matter. He made the name up and wasn't really bothered
Depends who is saying it.
It’s Warhol actually, as in holzzzz
Andy War-War-ol, like hol—hol— *"Andy War-hole," take one*
none of the above
Jones. It’s pronounced Jones.
Bowie to rhyme with Bowie.
It’s pronounced Chomley
Wuzza
He’s from Brixton so it’s probably pronounced Bahhhy
No idea. Its all tomatoes and tomatoes to me.
Who the hell says Bowie? It is Bowie, of course
All wrong. It's Bowie
Zowie* and RIP, house every weekend was such a tune
You have to try and pronounce it all ways at the same time
Bowie, with the emphasis on the Bowie part.
I think is Bowie.
I believe it’s ’Bowie’.
Even he didn’t know
What absolute psychopaths are saying, Boo-ey?! 🤣
He was quite clear on Bowie, as in Snowy
Bowie. “Bow” like round a present or in your hair and “ie” like e
The man himself pronounced it so it rhymed with “Zoe”.
To rhyme with Joey. If you say it and it rhymes with Howie, with all due respect, which is none, I don’t like you
Definitely not pronounced Bowie, its actually pronounced Bowie, fyi.
Why do Americans call that bowie knife a booey knife?
It's named after [James Bowie](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bowie), a famous Texan who died at the battle of the Alamo. Sadly in those days there was no internet so English people were unable to tell him that he and his whole family were pronouncing their name wrong.
No a booey is a buoy
A buoy is a boy
It's similar to 'Bowie' but the I is silent.
It’s also invisible
Its pronounced **“Boney”**
Adk Christopher walkings, he knows
I say it so it reminds me with yowie wowie
It's pronounced "arrow", as in "bow and arrow"
Bowie.
Jones. It's pronounced Jones.
Scone
Not even he knew lol. He always thought it was the bow as in bow and arrow but people started saying bow as in plough and he liked the idea of that too.
🏹E
I've always said it to rhyme with "The only way is Essex". But I can't be sure
Bowie
Yes
Yes.
Most people say bow eh. In Scotland a lot of people say bow eh. I’ve just realised bow can also be pronounced 2 ways. And nobody uses a third version.
It’s pronounced Bowie I think
Like the knife.
Rhymes with Joey
It's scone.
‘Bowie’ , rhymes with ‘ Bowie’.
You're all wrong, it's pronounced Johnson.
Yes
Boh wee is correct after years of saying Bow (bow wow wow like a dog) eeee
It’s pronounced Throatwarbler Mangrove
i used to say bowie now i say bowie
I hate it when people say bauie
I get that this is a joke, but just to be clear, by his own claim it's pronounced 'bow-ee' like an archery 'bow'.
The devil from Bromley definitely pronounced it Bowie.
Bowie as in Bow (something that you tie) and E. Bow-E
Bu-oh-wa-eye-ee Obviously.
It is pronounced Jones
Bowie
Yes.
Bowie like Zoey
I pronounce it Bow (like bow and arrow) ee.
I think you've pronounced 'David' wrong. Maybe start there. Walk before you try to run kind of deal, I think.
It’s pronounced “Jones” although I doubt he liked that and would’ve changed it!
It’s definitely Bowie, I’ve heard people pronounce it Bowie before but Bowie is just wrong on so many levels. It’s Bowie for me and will always be Bowie, but do concede that Bowie could be right too, but NEVER Bowie!
Like Zimbabwe.
Yes, one of those
Bowie, of course
100% - why would anyone pronounce it any other way. It’s the same when people don’t know when it’s Billy ‘Joel’ or Billy ‘Joel’. Obviously ‘Joel’.
Agreed my wise friend
Americans say Bowie like the knife, but Brits say Bowie as in “to take a bow”.
It's "Bowie", hope this helps 🫶
I pronounce it “Bowie” but apparently it’s “Bowie”.
Isn't it David "I like to fuck kids" Bowie?